Follow My Lead
by KrayzyKatt
Summary: It was supposed to be just another party. A night just like all the rest. And yet, somehow, it turned into the one night that I wish I could forget. I'd become a witness to a murder and now I'm just trying to move on. But now they want the two of us to help solve this case. Just when I had thought I had managed to get out alive, they want to kill me all over again. (Ino's POV)
1. Don't Move

**So here we are again. The last thing I should be doing is writing another story but I desperately need to get back into my writing. For whatever reason, I can't seem to update the stories I already have so we're going to try something unoriginal. A new story. Try not to put too much stock in it, who knows how long this will last. But yeah, this is for those of you who still bother to linger.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 1: Don't Move**_

Bored. That's exactly how I was feeling right now. Never in my life would I have thought that one single word could sum up exactly how I was feeling. But surely enough, that's exactly what had happened.

Here I was, yet again, in some cramped up apartment on the other side of town. What was meant to be a small kickback had unexpectedly taken a turn for the worst. Soft tones with meaningful words that I had once vibed to in peace had been replaced with blaring wails of explicit lyrics and thunderous basses. The once fully stocked coolers were now filled with the water from melted ice and the occasional bottle of water. And finally, the couches that were lucky if they could get two people to sit there were probably regretting their wishes due to the bodies that were currently taking up every inch available.

I didn't party much, or at least not enough to be considered a party girl. Yet, when I wasn't swamped with endless amounts of homework or working the night shift at the coffee shop, I could occasionally be found lingering in the corner at some kickback. I didn't have many friends but the one I knew I could always count on to drag me out when I didn't want to was my coworker, Ayame. She was the epitome of a party girl. On the off chance that I actually _wanted_ to go out to a party, I didn't have to look much further.

The problem with Ayame though, was that she didn't know when enough was enough. I meant that in two senses. One sense being that she never knew when to stop drinking. I mean it was one thing to drink yourself silly in your own house until you pass out till morning. However, it was another matter entirely when you had strangers in your house or when you were at another person's home entirely whom you didn't even know.

In the other sense, there was nights like tonight. Thankfully we were at her apartment but what was supposed to be a few friends and drinks had evolved into this loud chaos. I made a mental note to decline the next invitation should one arise because I was slowly starting to grow tired of this game. As much as I'd like to leave, it seems I was once again struck with a bit of misfortune. I had left my car at my apartment after Ayame's suggestion to pick me up so I wouldn't have to waste gas.

"Inoooo," a drunken voice that I had become accustomed to, slurred in my ear. Nose scrunching in disgust at the strong smell of alcohol on her breath, I scowled and pulled away slightly. "Where've you been? Your place isn't that big yet I haven't seen you since the start of the damn party." I wanted to roll my eyes at the drunken laughter rolling from her lips. "I've been looking for you doll," she chimed out, swirling her half empty glass of vodka around.

Eyeing it with disgust, I narrowed my eyes at her before snatching it away, "You haven't been searching very hard considering I've been in the same spot since I got here. Plus...I think you've had enough of these." I caught her as she stumbled forward, blindly grabbing at the cup I had liberated from her fingers. "Mmm gimme my drink Inooo," she whined, stumbling behind me and watching with despair as I poured it down the drain.

"Whoops, finger must've slipped," I murmured without the slightest bit of remorse. In what I'm assuming was meant to be a condescending voice, she grabbed onto me again and sighed. "You know what? You're way more fun at work than you are at these parties. I think you need to get laid." Forgetting my manners for a second, I could help but snort distastefully at her words. "I don't think my lack of a sex life is the reason you find me so boring. Anyways, if I'm so much of a deadbeat, why do you keep dragging me to these things?"

"Becauseee, I was hoping you'd loosen up a little. You always look so stressed and worn out. Live a little girl, you won't be young forever," she lectured, finishing with a teasing kiss on my cheek. When I felt her pull me closer, I knew it was time to slip away. Ayame tended to be very _affectionate_ when she was drunk which I normally didn't mind but not tonight. Giving her a sheepish grin when she gave me a look of disappointment, I smiled softly, "I think I'm going to the bathroom so I can freshen up."

Obviously annoyed at being shut down, she huffed and waved me off, "Fine fine. Go use the one in my room." Squeezing her shoulder and with a whisper of thanks, I slipped away and down the hall. It took forever and having to fight my way through grabbing guys, gossiping girls and the like was not helping my mood. The second I opened the bedroom door, I slammed it and locked it shut behind me.

Leaning against the door, I allowed the breath I'd been holding to slip out slowly. Though I could make out the noises on the other end of the door, it almost seemed as if I was in a whole other world. There was no one here to interrupt my thoughts or to ruin my already irritated mood. Taking in the scenery of Ayame's room, I was surprised to find everything nice and orderly. Seriously, it was like some bedroom set in a catalog for Ikea.

I was shocked simply because just like her personality, Ayame's room tended to be pretty wild. Snapping out of my brief moment of shock, I refocused on my original goal. "Right. Bathroom," I mumbled to myself. Careful not to disrupt anything, I gripped the handle only to twist it and find it locked. "Son of a—why in the hell did she lock the door to the bathroom but not her bedroom?!" I groaned, jiggling the handle again, meanwhile hoping it was all a part of my imagination. Just my luck, I was completely sane.

"For the love of god why must my night continue to be shitty?" I groaned, turning to scowl at the door. I was not looking forward to going back into that madness that some might call a party. Weighing my options, I decided that it wasn't worth it. Walking back over to the door, I examined the handle, noticing right away, the small hole in the middle. I had seen many like this before and if I remembered from my brothers' example, sticking something small into the hole could unlock it.

Getting an idea, I walked over to the dresser and began examining each drawer. I found many things, even a few things that I'd rather not see. After what felt like hours later, I finally stumbled across just what I had been looking for. Rushing over to the bathroom door, I dropped to my knees and stared at the handle curiously. "Alright," I mumbled with a bite of my lip, "Let's see if I remember how to do this." Carefully stretching the bobby pin apart, I stuck one end into the hole and pressed it around. Fingers grasping the handle at the same time, I turned it and almost squealed when I felt it turn all the way.

Excitement rushing through me in waves, I swung the door open, screaming when I heard a curse on the other end. Stumbling back, I looked for something to grab and instantly snatched the book that was lying on the bed. "Fucking hell man!" An annoyed voice sounded from behind the bathroom door. Waiting with my book for protection, I watched slowly as the door swung open. Standing there with a bleeding nose, was another girl with very very pink hair.

Lowering the book back onto the bed, I took a step forward, "Were you in there the whole time?" Bright green eyes narrowed in obvious loathing, she snapped, "No shit Sherlock." Not amused at all by her tone, I sauntered up to her and shoved her back, "Umm, excuse you! I didn't know you were there!" Hand moving to cover her nose, she winced, "Why the fuck else would a bathroom door be locked?" Tone rising in anger, I snapped back, "No one is supposed to be in here!"

We simply stared at one another, eyes challenging the other to make another smart remark. Though I'd like to think that I was pretty tough, with the way her eyes were burning and lower half of her face covered in blood, she looked downright menacing. Tearing my gaze away first, I sighed, "Whatever." Smooth, real smooth. And original too.

Arching her brow, she stepped to the side, "Are you going to use the fucking bathroom? You must have to considering you had to hit me in the damn face just to get in there." Annoyed huff ghosting past my lips, I countered, "Now listen here. I _did not_ know you were behind the damn door! I just wanted to freshen up and be alone for a second so Ayame told me to use her bathroom." Looking completely indifferent, it was her turn to sigh, "Whatever. Just go on."

She brushed past me without another word but before she could get to the door, I was calling after her. She stopped, albeit hesitantly. Hand still gripping her nose, she mumbled, "What is it now?" Ignoring her bad attitude, I stepped closer, "Let me see." Head tilting in mild confusion, she asked, "See what?" Obviously I meant her nose but to avoid another argument, I just walked over and pointed to her face. Nervously she lowered her hand, watching my every move.

It felt odd, being watched so closely. However, I felt even worse when her arm snatched my wrist when I made a move to touch it. "Don't," she said in a tone that reminded me of a growl. Rolling, my eyes, I broke free and snatched her wrist before pulling her behind me and into the bathroom. "Sit," I instructed, pointing to the toilet once I had lowered the lid down. Scoffing at my demand, she rolled her eyes in turn, instantly setting off my mood.

"Will you just sit the fuck down!" I groaned, shoving her down myself. A string of curses tumbled from her lips as she narrowed her eyes at me. Focusing my attention elsewhere, I looked through the cabinet beneath the sink and grabbed a washcloth. Running it under some lukewarm water, I wrung it out and started by wiping around her face. "You do realize you're getting my blood on your hands right?" She informed me with feigned amusement.

"I'm in medical school. I've seen my share of blood," I murmured softly. Returning the cloth back under the water, I removed as much blood as I could before turning to face her again. "Lean forward," I told her begrudgingly. With a scowl, she did as she was told. I held the cloth to her nose, scowling when she cursed and pulled away. "It's going to hurt, just sit still," I lectured sternly.

"You're not the one with a bloody broken nose," she hissed in annoyance. "Oh give it a rest," I said with a roll of my eyes, "It's probably not broken. Just bruised and you're being a baby about it." She wanted to say something else but one final glare and she was huffing and mumbling under her breath. Smirking in triumph, I returned the cloth to her face and held it in place. When about five or so minutes had passed, I removed it.

Gently taking her chin, I inspected her nose to make sure it wasn't still bleeding. Satisfied, I gently pressed against it with my index finger. She scrunched up her face but didn't pull away. Sighing, I pulled my hand away, running it along my neck, "I'm really sorry…uhhh…" It was then that I realized that I had never got her name.

"It's Sakura," she whispered, rising to her feet. "Ino," I returned with a small smile, "So yeah. Sorry about your nose." She watched me for a second before moving back to the door, "It's whatever. You helped so thanks kid." Frowning, I snatched her wrist before she could get to the door. I'm sure she was tired of me foiling her attempts to leave but I didn't care. Correcting her, I said, "It's Ino, not kid."

"Don't really care," she informed with a shrug, making another attempt for the door. This time, it wasn't me who stopped her from leaving but a loud scream followed by a gunshot. Eyes widening, I rushed forward, "Oh my god…what was that?!"

"Shut it!" She hissed quietly, slapping her hand over my mouth to silence me. Shaking nervously, we stood in absolute silence before another set of shots and screams rang out. I was dreaming, I just had to be. No way in hell this shit was happening right now. The screams got louder and closer forcing me to jump back with a gasp when someone pounded heavily on the door.

Sakura stood there, eyes wide with terror and shock. "Sa-Sakura?" I asked nervously as I gripped her arm. "Get under the bed Ino," she told me. I stood there, legs unable to move. With a growl and forceful shove, she pushed me, "I said get under the damn bed!" Scrambling quickly, I slid under the bed, eyes clenching tightly.

I watched as Sakura quickly ran about, turning off the lights before sliding underneath the bed beside me. The pounding at the door grew fiercer before another gun shot rang out. I felt one hand grab my waist as Sakura pulled me flush against her chest. I was shaking, literally quivering as I stared into Sakura's panicked eyes. Tears threatening to spill, I felt her lips brush against my ear as she whispered, "Ino, I need you to listen to me. I'm going to get you out of this, I promise."

"How?" I choked out quietly, "Someone's coming! I don't want to die Sakura…I don't—"

"Quiet." She told me flat out, "You're not going to die. Now someone's going to come in here. No matter what…don't move. Got it?" I don't know what it was that was fueling my faith in her but I found myself nodding, "Okay…" No sooner than I agreed, I heard someone kick the door open.

My nails instinctively clung to Sakura's shirt as I buried my head into her chest. Her hand wrapped around me tighter, carefully pulling me closer. Footsteps crunched softly against the carpet as the suspected killer made their way around the room. "You think someone's in here?" A gruff voice called out.

Slowly, another pair of footsteps entered the room. The other voice didn't reply right away. Instead, he circled about, almost like a vulture. Finally, he answered, "No…I don't think so. Bitch probably locked the door so no one would mess up her shit." Just hearing them talk so casually literally made me sick to my stomach. Instantly, my mind began reeling about what could've happened to Ayame.

With the eerie silence lingering about, I had a feeling that my worst fears were already confirmed. Biting my lip, I felt my body begin to shake. Sakura's nails dug harder into my skin, trying desperately to get me to remain still. But it was hard. With my heart racing a mile per minute and my mouth drier than any desert, it proved to be far too challenging to act like I was some statue.

The soft whimper of fear that slipped, seemed all but silent in my ears. Frozen. That's immediately what happened to my body. It's almost as if I was just begging for someone to come in and kill me now. "You hear that?" The first voice called to the other. "Yeah, probably this bitch out here. Don't worry, I got it." I don't remember how many gunshots I counted tonight but I prayed that this would be the last.

I almost wanted to claw off my ears when I heard the sick and maniacal laughter coming from the two men. Of course all of this was just another way to get their kicks. Cringing, I waited a bit longer to see what would happen.

"Shit! Is that the cops? Man we gotta go!" The first voice spoke again. "Alright man, let's get the fuck outta here!" I didn't bother to listen any further, instead, I just held onto Sakura for dear life. She allowed me to soak her neck mercilessly with silent tears as we waited. And then, after what felt like hours later, a voice called into the room, "Hello! Police! Is there anyone here?"

Slowly, Sakura pulled back as she inched from under the bed, pulling me along with her. Dropping the gun when he realized we were no threat, the officer walked called back into the hall, "We've got two alive in here!" Walking over to us, the officer looked us over, "Are you two girls alright?!" Sakura looked at me but I couldn't answer.

Instead, my eyes were locked onto the body laying lifelessly by the door. Blood stained the walls, the carpet and the door where a person had once been knocking for her dear life. Taking a slow step forward, I felt my eyes fill to the brim with tears. A hand on my shoulder tried to pull me away, "Come on kid, you shouldn't be looking at that." But I couldn't bring myself to tear my eyes away. Suddenly and without warning, I fell, only to be caught by Sakura.

Hand returning to my waist, she carefully lowered me to the floor. With my back against the door, I drew my hand over my lips and allowed the tears to fall freely down my cheeks. "My god…Ayame. I'm so sorry." I whispered to no one, knowing fully well that she'd never hear my voice again. Next thing I know, I'm blacking out and the last thing I can make out is worried green eyes staring back at me.

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 **See this nonsense right here? That's what I'm talking about. Why is it that I have to write a new story just to get the motivation to write something? Hopefully this fixed my writer's block but I guess we'll see. Anyways, I'm curious. Tell me what you all honestly thought and if this is something you might be interested in. I'll try to get something else out soon as I can. Thanks for being patient. Kat loves you all!**


	2. Family Reunion?

**Okay, attempt 2. We are rolling along kiddies. I'm am trying to strike up this motivation for you all so that I may bringeth forth more chapters. Let's hop back into it!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of its characters.**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 2: Family Reunion?**_

I don't remember much after blacking out, not that I expected to. What did manage to linger in my mind however, is those piercing green eyes belonging to the girl who saved my life. Speaking of which, she was nowhere to be found and I had to admit, I wished she were here. But much like the rest of the night, nothing worked out in my favor.

Instead, I was here on some cold bench in the police precinct. Despite the steaming cup of coffee in my hands and the large blanket thrown over my shoulders, I felt oddly cold. I felt empty, almost as if a part of me had died. No matter how much I tried, I couldn't get the image of Ayame's bloodied and lifeless body out of my head. Her once warm brown eyes that were filled with life had turned into an almost ghostly light brown.

No one could've known what was going to happen and though I'm thankful that I managed to escape with my life, a part of me wished that they would've just killed me too. It wasn't fair. I could only imagine how many phone calls had been made tonight. And with that imagination, I could see the tear stricken faces of parents who had lost their children and lovers who had been waiting all night for their beloved to return home. But they wouldn't come. Not tonight.

I politely declined the offer from one of the detectives to take me somewhere to lie down. I was more exhausted mentally and emotionally than I was physically. I didn't even think I'd be able to sleep tonight, not with the same horrifying image invading my dreams. It was bad enough I had to see it once; I didn't want to have to see it again.

Staring back down at my now room temperature coffee, I narrowed my eyes at my reflection. The same question that had been sounding in my head since the moment I saw Ayame's body was once again echoing in my thoughts. Why? Why did this have to happen? Why did all of those innocent people have to die? Why wasn't I one of them?

Before I could answer of the questions, a voice sounded in front of me. "Hey kid, you alright?" A somewhat large man asked me. Taking in his finely tailored suit and his aura that practically screamed 'I'm in charge', I figured that he was probably the chief around these parts. My interest with him didn't last long as I dropped my gaze back down to my coffee. Without bothering to mask my lie, I nodded, "Yeah…I'm fine."

I winced at the loud, phlegm-filled cough that released from his throat. "Sorry Miss…uhhh…" He paused, similar to the way I did earlier tonight when asking for Sakura's name. Without much care, I mumbled, "Ino. Ino Yamanaka." Snapping his fingers, he nodded, "Ah, my apologies Miss Yamanaka. Would you like us to call your parents?"

I paused, mind tripping over that one fact. Patting myself down, I managed to pull my phone from my jacket pocket. I told myself I shouldn't have been shocked by the eleven missed calls and seven texts consisting of 'where are you's and please answer your phone's. But the fact that the information had spread so quickly and that these messages were from two hours ago made me feel very stupid.

How could I have forgotten to call my parents? They were probably having a fucking fit right now. Quickly unlocking my phone, I typed in my mother's number, shocked when it went straight to voicemail. Trying my father's cell next, I was even more surprised to discover that I had received the same treatment. My father never missed a call from me, ever.

About ready to give up, I shoved my phone back in my pocket only to hear the familiar voice of an estranged woman coming from the front of the precinct. "Please! I just need to know if my little girl is okay!" I could hear the woman plead as multiple officers tried to calm her down. Setting down my cup of coffee on the floor and shrugging off the blanket, I hurriedly stood and made my way around.

Golden brown hair and tired green eyes was the only confirmation I needed to recognize that woman. Taking a step forward, I futilely tried to hold back my tears as I whispered for my mother. Spinning around quickly, I watched as the tears filled her eyes as she rushed over to me, "Oh my god, Ino." I allowed my head to press tightly into her neck as I choked on several tears. "Mom," I whispered again, fingers holding onto her for dear life, lest she slip right out of my hands.

Her hand cradled the back of my head as she held me close and kissed my cheek. "Thank god you're alright," she whispered in a trembling voice. Hands moving to grip my shoulders, she took in my appearance and I'm pretty sure I looked a mess. Brushing the tears from my cheek, she asked, "You're alright? No one hurt you did they?"

I shook my head, forcing the weakest of smiles onto my face, "No I'm okay." Looking me over to see if I was telling the truth, she nodded before pulling me into yet another embrace, which I accepted without hesitation. Drying my eyes, I looked around worriedly, "Where's Dad and Tai?"

I didn't have to wait long for an answer because sure enough, my father was storming in, followed by my younger brother, Taisho. Strong muscular arms pulled me into a warm chest, instantly melting most if not all of my anxiety. A few tears slipped out as I pressed my face into his chest, "I'm okay Daddy, I promise." Just as expected, he didn't let me go. Instead, he pressed a soft kiss to the top of my head and continued to rub my back, "I'm glad you're alright Princess. You're mother and I rushed over here the second we heard the news and you didn't answer."

I nodded, not sure of what else to say. Once my father had decided to release me from captivity, I turned to face my brother. Despite being three years younger, he towered over my measly 5'4" frame. With a weak smile, I allowed him to pull me into a soft yet warm hug. "You sure you alright Ino?" he whispered into my hair. Nodding and blinking away the few tears that threatened to fall, I pulled back slightly, "Yeah. Just…a little shaken up."

He nodded, not letting me go as he continued to drape his arm protectively around my shoulder. Though I was glad my family was here with me, I couldn't help but crave the presence of the person who I should be thanking. Looking around, I caught the attention of an officer who had just returned inside, "Excuse me. Have you seen another girl, about my age around? She's got pink hair and green eyes."

"Uh yeah…actually I have. She's outside talking to a detective." He pointed outside with his thumb before continuing about his work. Pulling away from my brother, I gave my family an apologetic look, "I need to go see her. She's the one who saved me." Without giving them another glance, I rushed outside and down the steps leading to the precinct. Sure enough, the person who I had been looking for was seated on a ledge, hands in her pockets as she spoke to the detective.

Without wasting another second, I called after her, rushing down the steps. Looking around confusedly to see who was calling her, her eyes finally met my own. "Ino?" She asked dumbly, taken aback as I launched myself into her arms. For the umpteenth time that night, I started the tear factory once more. Finally registering what had happened, her arm lightly curled at my waist and rubbed my back.

"Alright Miss Haruno, thanks for your cooperation. We'll be in touch," The voice of the detective called out as he slipped away. Sakura was silent and though I'm sure this was all very uncomfortable for her, she continued to pat my back reassuringly. "Come on…you're soaking my shirt again," she teased, trying to cheer me up. I shook my head, broken smile on my lips as I mumbled into her neck, "Thank you Sakura…thank you so much."

With an embarrassed groan, she carefully pulled me away, "Alright alright, that's enough of that. You okay?" I nodded, rubbing my eyes with the back of my hand, "Yeah…I'm okay now. You saved me after all." Her face scrunched up in annoyance before softening slowly. It would seem that whatever smart remark she was originally going to say, she had decided to keep it to herself.

Running her fingers through her hair, she sighed and waved me off. "You would've been fine whether or not I was there. You don't seem like a total blonde so I'm sure you would've done the smart thing and hid." Whatever gratitude and admiration I had currently been feeling was washed away by yet another insult from Sakura. Of course she would pick now to start teasing when we could've easily winded up dead tonight.

I guess in all retrospect that was probably the better way to handle it. I mean, nothing was wrong with crying and moping around. But some might even say that I had no right considering I had managed to make it out. It didn't matter, I was just lucky to be alive but it was no less horrifying to watch, and listen as tonight's tragedy unfolded.

Regardless, I hadn't let Sakura's comment slip. With a huff and shove at her shoulder, my inner child managed to slip out. With a pout, I mumbled, "Don't feed into the stereotypes. That thing about blondes isn't true for all of us." Feigning interest, she brushed me off, "Yeah uh huh, that's great."

"Could you not be an ass for two minutes?!" I hissed, tightening my jacket around my frame. It was late October and the fall winds were picking up rather quickly. Hands shoved in her pockets, she scoffed, "I don't recall being that much of an ass when I saved your life." Capturing my chin between both my thumb and index finger in mock thought, I shook my head, "I distinctly remember you screaming at me to get under the bed. Sounds like something an ass would do."

"Shut up kid. You were just standing there like the silly little blonde you are. You told me not to feed into stereotypes yet you were basically the clichéd blonde girl in every horror movie who falls and trips over something. I'll stop feeding into it when you stop acting like one," she finished, eyes narrowed with hopes of getting me to leave.

Right before I could think of another insult, I heard voices behind me. "Ino, this is the girl?" My father asked, hand resting on my shoulder. Looking a little dumbfounded, I nodded. Extending his hand forward, he waited for Sakura to accept his handshake. "Daddy, this is Sakura. She saved me tonight," I informed him.

"Sakura," he started, strong muscular hand squeezing Sakura's firmly. My father was strong but even I was amazed when Sakura didn't so much as flinch at the amount of pressure. "Thank you for taking care of my little girl. If it weren't for you, we might not have seen her again. For that, we are all grateful and in your debt."

Even though I hadn't known Sakura very long, her personality seemed clear as day. She was foul-mouthed and ill tempered, impatient and aggressive. All of this seemed like firsthand knowledge to anyone who was just meeting her for the first time. However, the embarrassed look in her eyes and the pinkish tint to her cheeks had caught me off guard.

Using the hand that wasn't being crushed by my father, she rubbed her neck nervously and looked away. "I hardly did anything. I don't believe I deserve thanks for telling her to hide under a bed," she sighed tiredly, giving me a troubled look.

Smiling sheepishly, I tugged on my dad's shoulder, "I think you've embarrassed her enough." One look at her blushing face and he stopped. Chest rumbling with amusement, he reassured her with a smile, "Sorry. Didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." Relieved of embarrassment, Sakura dismissed his apology, "Nah, that's alright. I'm glad I could help."

"Pardon me Sakura dear, are your parents around?" My mother asked and I too found myself wondering the same thing. No matter how hard she tried to mask it, I couldn't help but notice the nervous look on her face. I felt my chest tighten painfully as I nudged my mom, giving her a disapproving look.

"Oh my goodness, I'm terribly sorry! I shouldn't have—" my mother stammered out apologetically. With a shake of her head and a smile, she answered, "Nah it's nothing like that. My parents actually work here." Shocked, I looked around to see if I couldn't spot them for myself, which was stupid considering I had no idea what her parents looked like.

"Speak of the devils," I heard Sakura mutter under her breath distastefully as she shoved her hands back into her pockets. It was safe to say my parents hadn't heard her little slip up or they'd gbe having a fit. My mother had always been keen on respect and had always lectured my brother and I on manners since we were old enough to speak. Though I found Sakura's remark a bit amusing, I was more curious than anything.

Turning around, I spotted an older man and woman making their way towards us. The gentleman was fairly tall, even for a guy, which probably explained Sakura's height. His dark brown hair was neatly trimmed and slicked to the side with the part coming down the left side of his head. His jaw was strong and the hair on his chin was precisely trimmed. Green eyes that clearly contributed to Sakura's own were sharp and narrowed in our direction, more specifically Sakura.

His hands were hidden beneath the surface of his pants pockets. I also couldn't help but notice the rest of his attire from his finely tailored suit to the sleek leather boots covering his feet. Beside him was the woman I presumed to be Sakura's mother. She didn't look nearly as intimidating as her husband did but I knew better than to let my guard down.

Blonde hair pulled into a low ponytail that draped over her shoulder glistened even in pale moonlight. The light blue silk shirt fit her form perfectly and the khaki pants covering her hips didn't look half-bad. Of course, what was a woman without heels? Hers' were no exception with their fresh polish and shine reflecting the light perfectly. It took me about a minute to stop gawking and another to realize they were standing right in front of us.

"Is there a problem here," Sakura's father spoke in a voice that sounded even deeper than my father's. Thankfully, he was the one who took a step forward and responded. "No sir, no problem at all. Just thanking this brave young lady here for looking out for my own tonight," he finished, hand gently resting on my head. I felt the heat rise to my cheeks when I felt both of her parents' eyes on me. Swallowing nervously, I nodded, "Sakura was a big help to me tonight. I owe her big time."

To my surprise, they both smiled at me. Her mother was the first to speak as she folded her arms, "Is that right?" Giving another nod, I returned with a weak smile of my own, "Yes ma'am." My mother stepped up to my side as she gripped my shoulder, "You must be very happy that your daughter is safe." The answer that came from her father's lips shortly after was not one any of us could have expected.

"I'd be a lot happier if she'd just stay out of trouble completely but I suppose you're right," he answered coldly, forcing a chill down my spine. "How are you Sakura? Your studies going well?" He asked without even attempting to pretend he cared. I turned to look over my shoulder to see Sakura sitting in the same spot, hands in her pockets and eyes narrowed at the ground. She didn't answer her father, didn't so much as notice his presence.

"I do believe that your father was speaking to you young lady. I suggest you answer him," her mother retorted with a frown, and narrow of her eyes. The tension was so thick that I'm pretty sure you could choke on it. Sure, my parents were a little dense at times but even they couldn't have missed the silent fury raging between the Haruno family. I secretly wondered if Sakura's behavior was starting to annoy my parents as well. They didn't take too kindly to disrespect and it was clear that neither did Sakura's parents.

"Sakura Haruno, don't make me repeat myself," her father snapped but somehow still managed to remain perfectly composed. Having had enough, she finally snapped back, "I'm fucking fantastic thanks for giving a shit." The disapproving looks from my parents and the amused one from my brother were expected. I knew Sakura had a mouth on her but I never would've thought it'd be that bad and that she'd use it on her parents of all people. "Sakura!" Her mother huffed out in both shock and frustration.

I had almost thought that was the end of it when Sakura's father strode smoothly down the rest of the steps to stand in front of her. If it weren't for the obviously brewing hatred in the air, I might have laughed at how closely the two resembled each other. Green eyes narrowed darkly, jaws set firm and tight and the infamous hands in the pocket deal. Like father like daughter I suppose. But this was no laughing matter.

No matter how calm and composed Mr. Haruno seemed, I could tell that Sakura's abhorrent behavior was striking a rather fine nerve. "Three years and you haven't changed a bit huh?" He sneered as he looked her over. I found it rather striking myself that I was just noticing Sakura's attire for the first time tonight. Her black Adidas sweatpants and long sleeved grey hooded jacket was a big contrast from her parents' more formal outfitting.

Sneer of her own, Sakura spat out a bitter laugh, "You're one to talk considering you're the same prick you were when I moved out. Tell me, did mom finally snatch that stick from up your ass or are you still a little stiff." Surely, my ears were deceiving me. There was no way that these words were being said. My parents were probably having a heart attack right now just listening to this little back and forth between Sakura and her father.

I felt kind of bad now that I thought about it. Here we were just watching as the two of them went at it. The odd part about it, it didn't seem like either of them cared what we thought of them. I could see Sakura being that rebellious type who ticked of her parents with her free spirit and defying attitude. This was likely not the first argument they've had like this and that thought was a little unsettling.

Smirk on his lips, her father took a step closer as he hovered over her slightly shorter frame. It would seem that Sakura wasn't just all bark and no bite considering she challenged him with a step forward of her own. Bending down to her ear, he grumbled, "It's a shame. That the only traits of mines you picked up was that attitude and those eyes. The rest of you is a disappointment." Smoothly, she replied, "Not the first time I've heard that one, Detective. Going to book me for being a horrible daughter?"

"If that were an option, you'd be serving a life sentence right about now," he mumbled, pulling away. "Good one," Sakura retorted, rustling around in her pocket before pulling out a cigarette. Lighting it, she placed in between her lips and drew in a long inhale. Leaning forward, she allowed the smoke to slip past her lips into her father's face, "Now. If you would excuse me Detective, I grow sick of your presence. I'll be off now."

"Sakura," I found myself whispering, though it must've been much louder than that. She stopped in her tracks, cigarette hanging loosely from her lips as she gave me a bored look. Ignoring the disapproving look from my parents, I moved to stand behind her. Her green eyes that had once been so cold and hard were empty and almost seemed a bit darker. "What is it?" She huffed out, smoke escaping through her nostrils into the cool night air.

Chewing my lip in what was a clear sign of my nervousness, I mumbled, "Give me your phone." Tilting her head in confusion, she drew the cigarette from her lips. Releasing another stream of smoke off to the side, she sighed, "What for?" I shook my head, not because I didn't want to tell her but because even I didn't know why. Studying me for a second, she dipped her hand into her back pocket before pulling out her phone.

Smoothly unlocking it with a tap of her fingers, she held it out for me. I quickly took it, maneuvering to where I needed without digging through anything that I shouldn't have. Pulling up the contacts, I quickly added in my name and number to her phone. "Here," I whispered, handing her back her phone. She took it, eyeing over the newly inputted contact in her phone. Glancing at it then me, she mumbled, "What's this for?"

"You're heading home right?" I started, nervously shifting on my feet as I slid my hands into my jacket pockets, "I want you to text me so I know you made it home alright." Exhausted green eyes looked past me to those of their originators. Sakura's father simply gave a snort and spun on his heel to leave while her mother gave Sakura a tired look and did the same. It was no secret that her parents weren't fond of her behavior. However, Sakura's relationship with her father was probably the unhealthiest I'd ever seen.

I watched her parents retreat behind glass doors without so much as a glance in Sakura's direction. I found my eyes traveling to my own family who were waiting expectantly for me to go with them. I honestly wasn't ready to leave yet and I'd openly admit the reason being that I was worried about Sakura.

To my surprise, she huffed and stuck out her hand. If I were anyone else, I'd assume the pink on her cheeks was a result of the nipping wind. However, I had a distinct feeling that she was simply embarrassed. With a soft smile, doing my best not to annoy her further, I unlocked and handed over my phone. Scowl on her lips, she typed away on my phone before shoving it back in my hands, "Here."

"Thanks Sakura I really appr—" I started but was effectively silenced by her hand on my mouth. "Shut up Ino. Stop thanking me, it's annoying. Now go home," she sighed, removing her hand from my mouth when I shot her a glare. Lips parting with some lame comeback sitting at the tip of my tongue, I scoffed when she, like her father, spun on her heel and left without another word.

Standing there, I felt a mixture of annoyance and curiosity rush through me. Her attitude was definitely not something to brag about and yet she didn't seem nearly as cold as she'd like everyone to believe. I felt my irritation melt away as I watched her turn the corner and disappear down the street. My father's hand on my shoulder snapped me into focus, "That was uh…well anyway. You ready to go kid?" I nodded, allowing him to pull me along to the car.

I managed to convince my parents to take me back to my apartment, ensuring them that I'd be safe there for the night. Several hugs and kisses goodbye later, I was in my room, spread out on my bed. Tomorrow was Sunday meaning I could sleep in for a bit and finish up my homework that was due Monday. Tonight's events had be desperate for the welcoming promises of sleep. However, my eyes refused to close as they hovered over Sakura's name in my contact list. I wanted to make sure she was safe at home before I closed my eyes and yet I couldn't bring myself to text her first.

What if she thought I was being a creep? Then again, she was the one who put her number in my phone. She didn't have to and could've just told me no when I asked for her phone. Maybe I was being nervous for nothing. I mean, the worst that could happen is that she just doesn't respond to my text. But then, what if she really didn't make it home?

Shaking my head, I groaned. "It shouldn't be this damn hard to text one person!" I huffed out, reaching over to turn off the light beside my desk. Biting my lip, I sighed. I should just get it over with. I was wasting minutes just sitting here not doing anything. I pulled up my messages and began typing away when a text came in before I could hit send.

She had texted back. My eyes quickly read over the message and I couldn't help the eye roll that followed as I read the message again.

 _ **Yes, I made it home. Go to bed Blondie.**_

Snorting, I cleared out my previous message before sending another.

 _ **Shut up Sakura, I just wanted to make sure you got home safe. Guess I'll talk to you later?**_

A few minutes passed which made me wary considering it showed that she had read the message. I started to text back before she responded.

 _ **Ino…go to bed. You need some rest.**_

Maybe I was just being stupid but I felt a little hurt that she was trying to rush me off to bed. Did she really not want to talk? Was I annoying her? Did she only give me her number out of pity? All these thoughts raced through my head as I typed back a simple okay. Discarding my phone on my nightstand, I rolled over and tugged my blankets up under my chin.

My phone sprang to life again and I had almost ignored until it decided to vibrate again. Reading the message that had come through from Sakura, I felt a blush sting my cheeks as I read it over and over again.

 _ **I'll be up for a while, need to think. You need your rest though. Try to get some sleep Ino. If you wake up and can't get back to sleep because of obvious reasons, just let me know and I'll give you a call. I'm only doing this because you looked so pathetic today. Don't respond back unless you really do wake up though. Later Blondie.**_

Placing my phone down on the nightstand again, I pulled my blanket back over me and rolled over. And all the while, as I waited to fall asleep, I kept that childish grin on my lips.

* * *

 **Didn't mean to take so long and didn't mean to make it so long either. Just kind of needed to throw this chapter in before I progress to the next part. Thanks to those who are following along with this story. Continue to let me know what you think, love you all!**


	3. Getting Through the Night

**Oh so very sleepy while writing this. But…I'm hoping this will put me to sleep faster. Hopefully I'm holding your attention so far with this story. I know it started kinda fast then got really slow but that's how it's going to be for a bit. Bear with me. Appreciate your kind faces and I'd totes give you all cookies for reading this but I don't have any. For now, just read and the cookies will follow.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 3: Getting Through the Night**_

Knees giving out, I fell mercilessly to the floor. Hands catching me just in time, I pulled myself up and over, just enough so that when my dinner decided to come back up for the third time tonight, I'd be ready. And, just as expected, I emptied the contents of my stomach into the once pristinely white toilet once more.

Sick.

I felt so fucking sick.

My head was throbbing erratically, hindering my ability to function the rest of my body into standing up. One hand propped me over the toilet while the other swatted aimlessly for the handle before flushing my shame down to who knows where. I couldn't stop shaking but it wasn't the cool tiles against my scorching skin that had me this way. I was far from cold, in fact, I was sweating a lot more than I should be considering my clothing or rather, lack thereof.

"Shit," I whispered to myself, expecting no one to hear my suffering. I convinced my eyes to open, though not without difficulty. The stinging sensation I felt afterwards made me regret turning on the light before I stumbled in here some few hours ago. I needed to get up though, no matter how miserable I felt, I had to get up. Struggling the entire way, I slowly managed to work myself onto one knee, hand grasping onto the edge of the sink.

Thankfully, it supported the rest of my weight and allowed me to pull myself up. Hands clamping down tightly, I forced my head up to look at my reflection. I wasn't surprised honestly. Hair messily strewn about my head with a few strands clinging to my dampened forehead and my eyes and cheeks redder than ever. It was safe to say that my appearance perfectly described how I felt right now.

Turning the knob for cold water, I cupped my hands beneath the running stream. When I had gathered enough, I lowered my face down just enough before splashing myself without remorse. The coolness soothed my skin and I couldn't resist the urge to do it again. Snatching the towel that I usually kept hanging up behind the door, I patted my face dry, removing it when I was satisfied.

Turning off the bathroom light, I dragged my tired body back to my room before collapsing onto my bed. The static red digits reading **4:48 AM** on my alarm clock were maddening. I had only managed to get about an hours' worth of rest before the nightmares started. After the first time, I tried to go back to sleep and had managed a bit longer when it hit me even harder.

Now I was here, a miserable exhausted mess, clinging onto my last bit of sanity. I just wanted to sleep. To forget everything that happened hours ago and drift off to some imaginary bliss for my eyes only. But perhaps I had asked for too much. To ask to forget was taking it a step too far. It was almost as if some force working in the universe wanted me to suffer and remember how grateful I should be to have gotten away with my life.

It wasn't in my intentions to not be sympathetic, however, I really wanted to sleep and the torture of seeing it once was chilling enough. I could possibly have a solution though. However, I was debating if my solution was the only chance of me sleeping and whether or not it was worth it. My heart was nagging me to just let it go and try again. After all, third times the charm right? And yet, my mind, the sensible part of me was just telling me to stop being irrational and just call her.

Sakura.

She had offered, though reluctantly I'm sure, to help me get back to sleep. How she planned to achieve such a feat was beyond me but if she had managed to save me once already, I had no doubt she could do it again. But…then what was keeping me from texting her? Perhaps she had fallen asleep already? Maybe she was kidding about the whole thing and had already deleted my number from her phone. Hell, maybe she was up right now suffering the same way I was. Wouldn't do me much good then if that were the case.

But she doesn't seem like the type. Granted, we all have our weak points and though it might have seem a bit misplaced, Sakura's coping mechanism seemed to revolve more around a bitter attitude and a pack of smokes. I had no right to judge, I wasn't nearly as perfect and put together as people believed me to be but it just seemed obvious. Regardless, that's not what I wanted to do tonight. Waste time thinking about whose habits were worse.

I just wanted to sleep and if talking to her would be the only way to get it to happen then I'd just have to be a big girl and text her. Grabbing my phone, I tapped the screen and unlocked it. Pulling up her name and re-reading her last message for motivation, I texted her back.

 _ **Hey…are you awake?**_

I barely had time to sit my phone down and get comfortable under the covers before it sprung to life. My heart raced in my chest as I read over the message, instantly feeling a wave a guilt trickle through my body.

 _ **Yeah, I am now. What's up?**_

Quickly trying to end the conversation, I typed back furiously.

 _ **Nothing…never mind. Didn't mean to wake you, go back to sleep.**_

For a minute or maybe two, my phone sat there, lifeless as it had been all night. I figured I had gotten my request and that she had said fuck it and left me to struggle through the night alone. However, the nonstop vibration of my phone from her calling me was the last thing I could've anticipated. Teeth sinking into my bottom lip, I hovered my thumb over the green phone icon, debating if I should answer.

Mustering up some newfound courage, I pressed answer and slipped my phone against my ear. Lying down on my side, I whispered in a raspy voice, "Hey." And I should've known better, really, I should've. The unamused snort from the other end seemed a little harsh and uncalled for considering the circumstances. "You sound like shit," she told me simply and I could imagine the unsympathetic look on her face as she did so.

"If you're just calling to tease me, maybe you should go," I mumbled with a yawn. "Well," she started slowly, "I'm supposed to help you sleep but I need to know your address." Pulling the phone away from my ear, I narrowed my eyes at the device, trying to assure myself that I did hear what I just thought I heard. Stammering confusedly, I asked, "Wait…why do you need my address? Are you coming over?"

"Uh huh…that is in fact why I asked for your address," she replied smoothly and I could hear her mumble about where she left her keys. "Sakura it's 5 in the morning! You don't need to come over," I rushed out worriedly. I could hear the familiar jingling of keys and the closing of a door before she answered me back, "It's 5 in the morning and it's fucking freezing outside. Just give me your address Blondie and stop being difficult."

Weighing my options and seeing how little arguing room I had, I relented. With a sigh and drag of my hand through my hair, I said, "364 Henshaw Court. It's Apartment D." With the start of an engine and a few seconds of silence, she said, "Don't fall asleep, I'll be there soon." Rolling my eyes with a frown, I mumbled, "Pretty sure staying awake isn't my problem."

"Shut up and keep a look out Ino," she told me before quickly hanging up. "Ass," I mumbled to myself, tossing my phone back on my bed. It probably wouldn't take her long to get here what with the traffic at this hour being pretty much nonexistent. Slipping my feet into a pair of fluffy socks, I slipped out of bed and tugged on a jacket, still feeling surprisingly cold.

Exiting my room and traveling down the dark hallway into my living room, I looked around to see if anything needed tidying. Of course, nothing was out of place, save for a pile of papers I'd been sorting through before I left. Examining the pile and finding nothing of importance, I gathered them up and tossed them in the trash.

Nodding in approval, I peeped out the window and upon seeing no car, I returned to sit down. Settling on my couch comfortably, I flipped on the TV. Scanning through the channels, I found myself leaving it on the news. It seemed like a good idea at the time with some heartwarming story about a child reunited with her parents lightening my mood. However, I found myself wanting to turn off the TV the second they started to mention the tragic off campus shooting that had taken place.

The knock on my door came as a shock, instantly forcing me up and over to the door. Glancing out the window and noticing a car parked right behind mines, I sighed and opened the door. Shivering the second I did so, I stepped to the side, "Hurry up it's freezing out here." Arching her brow then looking me over, she scoffed and brushed past me, meanwhile mumbling, "If you'd remember to cover the bottom half of your body then you'd be fine."

In that split second, I glanced down and mentally slapped myself. How could I have forgotten to put pants on? I mean, no one usually came over so I didn't usually care what I wore around my home. Cheeks flushing in embarrassment, I locked my door, storming off to my room to cover myself with a pair of sweatpants. Heading back to the living room, I saw Sakura already making herself at home as she sat on the couch, eyes narrowed at the TV.

Settling on the other end of the couch, I frowned when she shot me an annoyed look, "No wonder you can't sleep idiot. Why the hell are you watching this shit?" Her look was blank but her tone gave away the frustration she was feeling. Trying not to get too worked up, I murmured softly, "Shut up. I wasn't watching TV until now. I did actually _try_ to get some sleep."

"Well, this sure as hell isn't going to help. Turn it off," she ordered, digging through the bag that I had only noticed a second ago. Scowling at her bossiness, I snatched the remote and turned off the TV. "Now what am I going to do?" I hissed, still eyeing her as she rummaged through her backpack. Glancing at me, she sighed, "You're going to go to sleep. You don't need the TV for that. Now…what's your temperature set to?"

"I never take it off 70," I mumbled, tilting my head in hopes to get a better look at what was in her bag. Turning around, she spotted the little panel on my wall and moved to stand in front of it. "Well," she started, pressing the down arrow button until it stopped at 65, "For the sake of getting you to sleep sooner, we'll take it down a notch. Now, get up and get in bed." With a huff, I shot her glare and hissed, "You are really bossy I hope you know that."

"Bed Ino…now," she ordered, not even glancing my way as she moved to snatch up her bag. She stood there, bag hanging on her shoulder and foot tapping against my floor impatiently. Taking the obvious hint, I returned to my room, sitting down on the edge of my bed. The glare she sent me was the final push to get me completely in bed and under my covers. Nodding her approval, she sat her bag down at the foot of my bed and slowly stepped towards me.

The back of her hand met my forehead before moving to my neck, forcing a light blush on my cheeks. "You're warm. Did you throw up?" She asked casually, drawing her hand back to slide into her pocket. "Yeah. I saw some stuff in my sleep and it just…you know," I finished with a whisper. She nodded, understanding my situation and not wanting to make it worse. Moving to her bag, she pulled out a silver thermos cup. Twisting off the lid, she poured some into the lid before handing it to me.

"What is this," I asked reasonably. I mean, I wasn't going to sit here and drink some random liquid from just anyone. Rolling her eyes, she moved to her bag again, "It's just tea, Ino. Trust me…if I wanted to kill you I'd have done it by now." Taking a whiff of the tea, I pulled it to my lips and took a slow sip, "Well that's reassuring." She scoffed, turning away as a small smile worked its way onto my lips. I finished, drawing my tongue across my lips as I handed the empty lid back to her, "Thank you."

"You can thank me once you manage to sleep through the night. Now sit up," she commanded, walking over to the side of the bed that I was currently occupying. I did as I was told, knowing fully well that arguing wouldn't do any good. Shaking a small bottle in her hand, she snapped off the lid and proceeded to spray my pillows and bed lightly. Inhaling slowly, I felt my curiosity peeking as I asked, "What is that? It smells amazing."

Shrugging, she sat it down on my nightstand, "It's natural lavender. Aromatherapy. It's really relaxing and helps ease you into sleep faster." I nodded, lying my head down on my pillows, taking in a deep breath and exhaling soon afterwards. I couldn't deny. This actually seemed like a good idea. My body was very relaxed and the chill tickling my spine had me curling deeper into my sheets. "You look comfy," she admitted, earning a yawn from me.

"I am," I answered, watching as she carefully pulled off her shoes. Sitting them neatly beside my door, she closed it softly and moved to sit at the foot of my bed on the other side. "Now what," I asked, curious to see what other tricks she had up her sleeve. She shook her head, watching me carefully, "Now…you close your eyes and try to go back to sleep." Eyes closing for a brief second, I rolled over to face her completely, admitting, "I don't think I can Sakura. I'm comfy but I don't think I'll be able to stay asleep."

Sighing tiredly, Sakura gave me an exhausted look, "Try Ino. Just try." Biting my lip, I sat up and curled my hand around her wrist. I knew this was going to come off as odd but honestly, I was curious. When I was curled up against her, hiding under that bed, I felt so safe. I vaguely wondered if that's why I couldn't sleep. If it was because I didn't feel safe. However, I just wanted to try. To see if she'd be willing. The worst case scenario, she said no and left me to fend the rest of the night alone. So why not?

"Sakura," I whispered, hand tightening around her wrist, "Will you go to sleep with me?" She didn't answer, didn't so much as indicate that she had even heard my request. Instead, she just sat there, eyes downcast at the floor. Squeezing a bit harder, I begged, "Please." Closing her eyes and taking in a long breath, she whispered, "If I say no are you just going to stay up?"

"Probably," I answered truthfully, using any possible trick that I could think of to get her to stay. Green eyes revealed themselves once more as she searched my eyes for any sign of falsification. Finding none, or so I assumed, she nodded, "Fine." I pulled my hand away, allowing her to stand as she moved to lie down beside me. "Take off your jacket," I told her. With a reluctant frown, she tugged her jacket over her head. The second her jacket was off, I found my eyes tracing the tattoos covering various part of her body.

They were extremely hard to see in the dark but with the intensity I had been observing her, I could see they were there. Tearing my eyes away and fighting a blush, I scooted over to give her room. Hesitantly, she climbed in and stretched out on her back. Nervously, I reached out my hand, fingers curling halfway around her bicep. "Come here," I pleaded, tugging gently. "Ino…go to sleep," she groaned with a disapproving frown.

Instead of giving in like before, I slipped my hand across her tank covered stomach. Dragging myself closer and resting my head gently on her stomach, I sighed. When she didn't push me off, I curled further against her side and slipped my fingers under her shirt. "Ino," she warned, body flinching away from my ice cold fingers. "You're warm," I whispered into her side, eyes blinking as I continued to rub my fingers against her skin.  
I felt kind of bad, now that I thought about it. She probably felt really uncomfortable with my roaming hands and unbearable proximity. Fidgeting, I slipped my hand just enough to wrap around her waist. I tended to get cold pretty quickly, even more so because she had cranked down my heat. Though I felt bad for making her uncomfortable, I couldn't deny the elated feeling that filled me from the warmth she provided. Once again, I felt incredibly safe being pressed against her.

It wasn't romantic, not by a longshot. But…just knowing that I was safe here with her was so reassuring that I couldn't keep my eyes from closing. Yawn parting my lips, I felt her relax upon hearing that I was in fact getting tired. It was only a matter of time now. Counting down those last few seconds before my eyes shut again and I could only hope that I actually stayed asleep this time.

X

So…I managed to sleep this time. If my chipper mood wasn't enough proof of that, the red numbers on my clock reading **2:27 PM** was. I slept a lot longer than I probably should have but with last night's events still weighing in heavily on my mind, I couldn't bring myself to care. I only had a bit more homework to take care of which would take no time at all, provided I didn't mess around and get distracted as usual.

Now, I could've gotten up from bed. After all, I got all the sleep I needed. I could've made something to eat considering I was pretty much starving at this point. I could've showered considering I had forgotten to do that last night. Or I could've been super productive and started on that homework I had mentioned. And yet…despite all those tempting suggestions, I hadn't managed to wiggle out of bed. The reason being?

Sakura.

It wasn't one of those clichéd, awkward situations where two people ending up spooning and waking up with one person's arm thrown around the other. Sakura had kept her hands folded behind her head and they had remained there even up until now. So I wasn't being restricted by any means. However, the fact that had me glued to my bed is the fact that she was still sleeping and looked quite peaceful doing so.

The reason I hadn't moved is because she looked so comfortable that I feared even the slightest breath might cause her to wake. Her face was so relaxed and with each small part of her lips, her chest would rise and fall the same. Some of her hair hung over her face while the rest fanned over my pillows and down her shoulder. The sunlight streaming in through the window gave a perfect view of her tattoos that were once blinded by the lack of light from earlier.

They were mostly on her arms but due to the position, I couldn't make out what all of them were. The most captivating one I _could_ see was this feather lining the inside of her right arm. The variety of colors blended so well and intricately that I couldn't tear my eyes away from it. Another I had noticed was the one partially hidden under her tank that had managed to slip up an inch or so over the course of the night.

I had never personally wanted any tattoos, finding them to be a bit too extreme for my lifestyle. However, I always admired how perfectly they seemed etched onto the skin of others. It was artwork deemed so beautiful that you just had to have it printed on your skin. To me, it was the ultimate form of self-expression. I wondered if there were any others she had but I wasn't going to putting my hands on her in such a familiar and intimate fashion.

Still, my eyes slowly traveled back up to that elegant feather tracing the inner part of her arm. I was torn. Between wanting to touch it and not waking her up, I was fighting a losing battle. Just like any other time, my curiosity would get the best of me and I would give in. So it came as no surprise when I slowly leaned over her to gently run my nails along her arm. Her skin was soft and smooth and just as warm as when I had felt it last night.

The pigment of her skin also seemed to make the tattoo just that much more appealing. The colors just seemed to pop and compliment the rest of her. "Beautiful," I sighed in awe, pulling back slowly to sit on my folded legs. It felt a little weird to be complementing Sakura in such a manner, especially when I hardly knew her and was making these discoveries while she slept. But there was no denying it. I'm sure guys and maybe even a few girls could attest to her beauty.

Nothing wrong with admitting the obvious. It was just a harmless compliment, one she wasn't even awake to hear. Blinking slowly, my eyes traveled back to her peaceful face. Out of pure instinct, and before I could stop myself, I was brushing back Sakura's hair from her face. Smiling warmly at the way she scrunched her nose, I hovered a little closer.

"Are you going to continue to watch me sleep?"

Swallowing at having been caught, I scrambled back onto my side of the bed. "I wasn't watching you sleep!" I stammered quickly, obviously not helping to validate my lie. Eyelids peeling back to reveal tired green eyes, she stared at the ceiling before giving me an unexplainable look, "Uh huh. Right." With a grunt of effort, she sat up, fingers massaging her head slowly.

I winced upon hearing the sound of bones cracking in relief. She must've slept rather uncomfortably with my added body weight restricting her of any freedom. Hands folding behind my back, I innocently asked, "How'd you sleep?" Swinging her legs around and rising from my bed, she headed over to my door and made a move to grab her shoes, "I've had worse nights."

"Wait hold on a sec. Are you leaving?" I asked, mild panic lingering in my voice. For a second, I thought I had scared her off. I had basically made her indirectly cuddle with me, watched her sleep and touched her tattoo. I could understand if my creep meter was off the charts and she wanted to leave but I really didn't want her to go just yet. "Yeah, I need to go home and take care of some things."

"Do you have to go?" I asked nervously, rising from my bed slowly. Curling my arms around my body, I hesitantly handed her her bag. Brow arching curiously, she asked, "Would you like me to stay?" The question came out so innocently and so smoothly that I was actually speechless.

The way she stood there, patiently waiting for me to answer made me shift nervously on my feet. Rubbing the back of my neck in a feeble attempt to hide my embarrassment, I asked, "Would you?" And then, in a very typical Sakura fashion, she shrugged and dipped her hands into her pockets.

"Nah, probably not."

I couldn't tell what annoyed me more. The fact that she admitted it or that she admitted and didn't sound the least bit guilty. Any admiration I had been feeling prior till now was gone, leaving me with only irritation. The smirk on her lips was more than enough evidence that she had said it on purpose.

Unamused, I swung open my door and headed for my kitchen. Following behind distantly, Sakura made her way to the front door. "Guess I'll see you around," I mumbled, glancing up from empty bowl, soon to be filled with cereal. Shrugging her bag into a more comfortable position on her shoulder, she nodded, "Uh huh. I'm sure you will." Her clear dismissal and obliviousness of my questions was rubbing me wrong. Very very wrong.

Lips now set into a permanent scowl, I stormed over to her, angrily poking her in the chest. "Why are you being such a prick?" Shoving me back with a hiss, she countered, "It was an actual honest fucking answer Ino. Just because my tone is shit doesn't mean that I wasn't telling the truth." Hands flying up in frustration, I asked, "And exactly how the hell am I supposed to tell the difference? I hardly know you Sakura!"

"Good," she mumbled, opening the door and heading to her car, "Let's keep it that way." It took about two minutes for me to make it downstairs and latch it onto wrist before she could close the car door. "Let go," she snarled lowly, trying futilely to shake off my hand. "Look, I'm sorry," I frantically tried to apologize. "It doesn't matter. Now let go," she mumbled again, this time not nearly as hostile.

"Sakura please," I begged, voice trembling ever so slightly. It must've been more noticeable than I thought because in a split second, her eyes were on me and her resisting ceased. "Oh God, you're not going to cry are you?" She asked, irritation switching in favor of masked worry. "I just want you to forgive me. I was being a jerk," I admitted more to myself than I did her but I knew fully well she could hear me.

"It's not that serious Ino. Let it go," she mumbled, eyes leaving mine to glare out the front window. "I will when you say you forgive me." I don't know what it was making me so childish about her leaving. Maybe it was just one of those guilt things because she had honestly seemed a little annoyed with me. Whatever it was, I just wanted her to know I was sorry and for her to not be upset with me. She saved my life and I didn't want to come off as some sort of ungrateful brat.

"Ino, it's fine. I swear, I'm not mad," she admitted a mere second later. Heartbeat slowing down to its normal speed, I asked, "Yeah? So we're okay?" She nodded, turning to give me a tired look, "We're okay. I really do need to get home. Need to let my dog out and get some homework done." I nodded, releasing her wrist and backing away slowly. I watched as she parted her lips before shaking her head and rejecting whatever it was that she was going to say.

Biting my lip, I turned to leave before feeling a warm hand on my wrist. Quickly turning back around, I blushed under the intensity of Sakura's stare. Cursing and quickly pulling back her hand to run it through her hair, Sakura sighed, "I'll see you in class tomorrow, okay?" I nodded, swallowing nervously before a thought ran across my mind, "Wait a sec…in class? What do you—"

With a smirk, she closed her door and rolled down the window before whispering, "Kinda hard to miss the typical little blonde in the back who falls asleep during every psychology class." That was all she left me with before reversing out of my driveway and turning down the road. I could only stand there, wind nipping my cheeks and blowing my hair around mercilessly. With a soft smile, I climbed the steps back up to my apartment. Shaking my head, I closed my door and proceeded to get started with the psychology homework I had no doubted forgotten.

* * *

 **Surprising myself at how quickly these chapters are coming along. I simply wish to provide you all with a little something something after leaving you with a little nothing nothing for so long. Still love meh? Of course you do. Anyways, hear is another chapter for you all. Going to hopefully put out some more within the next few days so keep an eye out okay? Later kittens!**


	4. From Bad to Worse

**Other chapters for a few other stories are in progress. But for now, I'm going to continue to ease myself back into this writing thing. So far so good, but anyways. New chapter of FML. (*snicker* I love how it coincidentally turned out to have that acronym. Wasn't planned at all.) But yes, new chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 4: From Bad to Worse**_

Fingers drumming against the fold out desk attached to my seat, I impatiently waited for lecture to be over. Technically the class had only ended about four minutes ago but he had asked us to stay so he could explain the last bit of notes he deemed so important. However, I didn't have time to stay. With my psychology class starting in about six minutes and it being a decent walk from the art building, it was safe to say that I was short enough on time already.

The second he said dismissed, I was already scrambling through the doors, pushing through the crowd as I managed to slip away outside. Adjusting my bag on my shoulder, I waited for the crossing guard to allow us to go as I made my way down the left hand side of the street. I mumbled an apology to a girl I had bumped into in my haste, not bothering to stop and see if she needed help picking up the papers she'd been carrying. Though my chances were slim, I promised I'd apologize properly if I ever saw her again.

However, with such a huge campus, I'd highly doubted that it was likely.

Now naturally, I didn't care if I was a few minutes late to my psych class. There were at least a solid 300 other students in the class and the professor didn't take attendance. I was getting by with a C which could be better but I didn't possess the energy to really try. Ultimately, the only reason I had rushed over here and nearly killed myself in the process after rushing across the street with a car nearly running me over, was to see her.

To see if Sakura was actually as real about her words as she wanted me to believe. I wasn't sure what I was expecting. One look at that familiar pink hair, tumbling over the back of the chair as its owner sat there with her eyes closed. In a hushed voice, I apologized as I moved through the row. Stopping at the seat beside her, I gently reached out to poke at her nose. I watched with a smile as she scrunched up her face and tiredly peeled open her eyes.

Motioning to her bag, I asked, "Mind if I sit?" She watched me for what felt like an eternity before she gave in. Hoisting her bag onto the floor, she grunted which I took as an indication for me to sit. I did so, lowering my own bag to the floor as I took out my notebook and a pencil. Sakura on the other hand, didn't make any moves to get out any materials. With a curious arch of my brow, I asked, "Umm, are you not going to take notes?"

She shrugged, settling further into the chair as she slunk down. "I don't need to." I could hear the professor quickly blurt out an excuse as to why she was late. I watched her briefly before my attention wavered and returned to Sakura. "And why not," I whispered, eyes glancing up to see that the first slide was already on the board. Scribbling it down into my notes, I dropped my pencil down as she began explaining the slide. In her own quiet voice that contained bits of exhaustion in between each word, she explained, "I'm technically a tutor for the class. I just drop in occasionally to make sure I've got my information correct before I teach it to other students."

I couldn't help my interest from peaking at this newfound information. "Seriously?" I asked, unable to find any other words to voice how interested I was. She nodded, slipping her hands into the pockets of her jacket. I allowed my attention to focus on the notes once more. Writing down more of my notes, I frowned when I realized nothing made sense. How I had managed a C in the first place was beyond me. If I wanted to do any better than that then I needed to get my study game up a bit.

Idea sparking in my mind, I tapped Sakura's shoulder to get her attention. Her green eyes flashed vibrantly in contrast with the dark room being lit only by the screens in the front. Leaning over but not enough to completely violate her space, I asked, "Do you think you could help me study?" She didn't answer right away, flicking her eyes to the screen for a moment. Lips twitching into a small frown, she said, "Well. Depends. Are you going to fall asleep on me too?"

Not understanding her question, I blinked and pulled away. I started to answer her question with one of my own before she said, "No offense kid but you're not very discreet about passing out in class." Blush staining my cheeks in embarrassment, I blurted out, "I don't know what you're talking about!" Obviously amused, she nodded, "Uh huh. Then each time I caught you must've just been all in my head huh?" Turning the tables quickly, I asked, "Oh? Any particular reason you happened to be staring at me so intently?" I finished with a knowing smirk.

She didn't seem phased by my question, not much anyway. Unimpressed snort passing her lips, she countered, "Don't flatter yourself. Kinda hard to miss when you're the only one snoring and have drool practically falling from your mouth." Jaw hanging loosely in shock at her words, I had to restrain myself from voicing my frustration too loudly. It was already a surprise that I hadn't been called out yet for distracting class. Staring at me blankly and before I could stop her, Sakura's finger tapped the bottom of my chin, pressing it lightly as my mouth slipped shut.

"First things first kid," she mumbled and gave me a stern look, "In order to pass the class, you'll actually have to pay attention. Quit gawking at me and take your notes." Another blush as I snatched my chin away and turned to face the front of the class once more. With a huff, I scribbled down more notes as I discreetly caught a glimpse of Sakura from the corner of my eye. Her eyes were closed but I could faintly make out the smirk that teased her lips. With a low smile of my own, I refocused on my notes as I took Sakura's advice and actually tried to pay attention.

Needless to say, I'd need a lot of tutoring if I wanted to pass this class for sure.

X

"Slow down a sec!" I huffed, snatching Sakura's wrist as I tried to keep up with her quick strides. She narrowed her eyes at my hand but otherwise didn't say anything. "Why are," I paused to take in a deep breath, "In such a hurry?" Shaking her head, she tugged her hand back and slipped it into her pocket. "I'm not, you just walk incredibly slow," she answered calmly, shooting a glare at some boy who had rudely bumped into her.

Ignoring her comment, I asked, "Do you have another class soon?" She had decided to keep walking but I could tell she was walking much slower to accommodate my speed. "No," she answered, "I've got three classes on Monday's and they're all morning classes. I'm done today." I nodded my understanding, mouthing an _Oh_ as we waited to cross the street. I bit my lip nervously as she slipped an earbud into her left ear.

With a sigh, she gave me a sidelong glance and asked, "Why?"

"I...just wanted to know if you wanted to grab something to eat," I mumbled, looking away. "Depends," she said, pausing in her steps to focus on me. "Are you going to cry if I say no," she questioned, eyebrow arched in a cross between amusement and curiosity. Annoyance flaring, I shoved her with most of my strength but she hardly moved an inch. "No! Then I'll just go eat by myself," I stumbled out defensively.

Another smirk forced my heart to tighten. I watched as she reached over to place her hand atop of my head. She leaned in a bit and in a soft smooth voice, she said, "Good. Sounds like a plan, I'll go home and you can eat alone." I blinked slowly as she pulled away, same smirk still on her lips. I, on the other hand, was feeling far from amused. Scowl on my lips, I mumbled under my breath and spun on my heel to leave.

I was rewarded with an annoyed huff as she mumbled just loud enough for me to hear, "Oh don't start. I'll go." Instead of turning back, I made my way to the student commons, fully intent on eating alone. To my surprise, my book bag was snatched off of my shoulder. Sakura stood there, my bag hanging from her wrist and a scowl on her lips. "Give it here," I hissed, moving to grab it back only to stumble forward when she stepped to the side. "Sakura," I whined desperately, not in the mood to play games, "Come on."

"Let's go Ino," she mumbled, brushing past me with a huff. Reluctantly, I followed, trailing behind her as I observed the second busiest place on campus. It was maybe a ten minutes or so past noon, better known as lunch time. There wasn't a single place that didn't have a line, however, some were definitely longer than others. To our right, there were booths and tables set up with students and staff representing various organizations, causes and giving information about Greek life. Several monitors flashes with announcements about activities happening on campus, movies playing in the theaters and other kinds of pointless things.

Lost in my own little world, I clumsily crashed into Sakura's back. She show me a small glare to which I responded with a sheepish grin. Rolling her eyes, she returned my bag to me which I took with a soft thank. "What are you going to eat?" She asked, hands in her pockets as she looked around, bored etched on her face. I looked around myself, scoping out the place to see what lines weren't too outrageous to wait in. I didn't have much of a preference when it came to food, the only downside being that I could never figure out what I wanted to eat. Getting an idea, I asked Sakura, "Well...I could go for anything. What are you hungry for?"

She must not have been expecting that, I assumed, with the way she blinked slowly and looked around. Left hand moving to rub her neck, she sighed, "Sandwiches?" Smile teasing my lips, I nodded towards the deli in between the small market and pizza place. She nodded. I followed her along silently as we slipped into the back of the line. Surprisingly, it wasn't as slow as I figured it'd be. If I was allowed a moment of honesty, I'd actually never been here before in my two and a half years of studying. I'd always passed by, glancing at the freshly baked bread in the window and savory smells of different kinds of meats.

As we neared the front of the line, a small pang of anxiety struck me. The menu was enormous and I didn't even know where to begin to look. I felt a small tug on my arm, catching my attention instantly. Nodding her head to something I couldn't quite see, she told me to follow. I did so, unsure of why we were branching off from the line but I thought it better not to question it. Soon, we were standing in front of a small touchscreen station that transitioned between different advertisements for their specials.

"This," she indicated with a point at the screen, "Is where you order. It's not nearly as painful as it looks. Just watch me." And I did. I watched curiously as she tapped and swiped the screen until she reached the end. Ticket printing out, she pointed over to the registers. "That's where you pay for your food and the station over there is where you pick up your food." I nodded as she stepped to the side to let me have a go at it. "You can either build your own or get one of the specialties." Unsure of what to pick, I asked, "Well what do you usually get?"

She looked stumped again but it didn't last longer than a few seconds. She took over the screen, swiping to the beginning and selecting the specialty menu. "Do you want something hot or cold?" I shrugged, shaking my head, "Doesn't matter but usually I like to get my sandwiches toasted." She nodded, bringing up another menu as she pointed at the list, "These are the hot ones. Granted, you can get any sandwich toasted but these are the main options. This one," she said as she tapped on the button, "Is my preference."

It was a panini, toasted of course with turkey, bacon and some kind of pesto sauce. "Is it good?" I asked, eyeing it warily. It was her turn to shrug as she admitted, "Well obviously I'm going to say yes since I get it all the time." She had a point there I suppose. I was a little wary but honestly, it didn't look half bad. I'd just hate to get it and end up hating it altogether. With a sigh, Sakura huffed out and pressed, "Look just get it Ino. I've got plenty of meal trips to waste so if you end up hating it, it's on me and you didn't waste anything."

"Sakura no I can't do-" I started only to be cut off.

"Doesn't matter Ino," she mumbled, "Just get it." I shot her a glare but she ignored me, moving to grab a drink as she waited for me. Knowing that I had lost this round, I returned to the little kiosk and went ahead and got my order. Grabbing my ticket, I got a bottle of water as I looked around to Sakura. I spotted her at the register, swiping her card as she moved to the station where the food was being prepared. I made my way over, standing beside her as she messed around on her phone.

The subtle way her brow furrowed and her lips curved made me wonder what had her so annoyed as she irritably shoved her phone back in her pocket. I didn't know why I bothered but I couldn't stop myself from asking the question. "What's wrong?" She paused, eyes quickly catching my own, forcing me to feel so much smaller. She didn't answer, instead heading over to the counter to grab her food when they called her name.

She didn't leave like I was expecting her too. Instead she moved back to my side and stood there silently, clutching her bag between her fingers. I took the time to study her, noticing her attire from the day. She didn't seem like the type to show off her school spirit but she had donned a long sleeve maroon school shirt which actually looked really good on her. A pair of classic chucks that matched her shirt and a dark blue pair of jeans.

One key thing I noticed however, or rather, didn't notice was that she wasn't wearing a bag. I wondered if she had taken her stuff home or just tossed it in her car until she was ready to leave. Normally, I'd have another class around two but it was canceled leaving me with some free time until work later.

I heard my name being called, snapping me back to reality as I thanked them for my food. Sakura motioned for me follow again as we weaved in and out of the crowd before stopping at a table lined against the windows. It had a great view of the courtyard and a few of the other buildings. We sat and I wasted no time prying open my bag and retrieving my sandwich that was wrapped so perfectly. It smelled amazing and I could feel my mouth watering just looking at it. However, before I could bite it, something caught my intention.

Sakura wasn't eating.

Instead, she was watching me curiously, like she was waiting for something. Lowering my food, I asked, "What? What is it?"

"What do you mean?" She asked plainly, eyes never leaving mine.

Rolling my eyes, I sat back in my chair. With a huff and childish pout of my lip, I pointed at her accusingly. "Why aren't you eating your food Sakura?" She mocked me, minus the pout and her huff was more of a bored sigh. "I'm waiting for you to try it," she told me simply, "I wanted to see if you like it."

"Oh!" I grinned innocently, picking up where I had left off. Thankfully they cut it in half. Who knew? I might have to save some of it for later. Taking in a deep breath, I took and bit off a decent sized portion. I chewed slowly, savoring everything I could. "Well?" Sakura asked, beginning to pull her own food from her bag. It took me a minute, as I pulled together all the sensations and flavors that had invaded my senses. Placing it back down on the table, I sighed. Catching her eyes with a smile quickly working onto my face, I nodded.

She didn't say anything. She only pulled out her own sandwich and began eating. However, the smirk, no matter how small, was there. And I knew, even though she never said it, that she was happy I liked it.

X

"Yeah, everything was fine," I told my mom over the phone as I kicked my front door closed behind me. After we finished, Sakura mentioned she had to get home to walk her dog. She had mentioned him before which I was surprised I had managed to remember. I asked her if I could meet him one day to which she agreed, possibly this weekend after work. We went our separate ways and I hung out in the library until work.

"How was work dear," she asked curiously. Rolling my eyes, I tossed my keys onto the kitchen counter. "It was slow, as usual," I dryly responded, rummaging through my fridge to see what I had to drink. Settling for water, I leaned against the sink. "When's your next break? We miss you at home." I couldn't help but roll my eyes again.

We literally just saw each other about two days ago. Granted, the situation wasn't exactly pleasant but the point was that it hadn't been that long since we last saw each other. "Fall Break is next week mom," I sighed as I looked around my apartment. It was pretty neat but I'd left a bit of a mess in the kitchen. However, it wasn't bad enough to the point that I felt a need to clean it right this second.

"That's great!" I felt my lips twitch into a smile as I moved to my balcony. Moms. They were always so excited about the little things. It was nice to know that she was always happy to have me home. I made it a point to talk to her at least once every day. That way, things didn't feel so lonely around here.

Don't get me wrong.

I enjoyed the company of others but I also enjoyed my solitude when I could grasp it. For my first year of college, I had made friends a few girls on my floor. Some were cool while others were...interesting. Most of them spent their time hopping from party to party and getting wasted every weekend. I didn't mind parties and clubs were okay but I didn't care to be there every weekend. For me, it was just something to help unwind when exams and projects became too much.

Unfortunately, though not a total loss, I didn't remain friends with them for very long. There were a number of reasons. Many of them ended up dropping out, those who didn't were just two wild for my lifestyle and one is raising a kid now. I didn't judge, not completely anyway. I believed that people are meant for some things while others aren't.

Anyway, I picked up the coffee shop job over the summer of sophomore year. Just to have a bit of extra pocket change. That's where I met Ayame. She had a great personality that wasn't too overbearing. She made me feel welcome and helped me out of my shell. She took me smaller parties and kickbacks, said it fit more with my style. It was fun and her friends always made me feel like a part of the group. I missed her terribly. I had to make another mental note to call her family and check in on them.

Settling onto my couch, I flipped on the TV, its vibrant light illuminating the living room. "So do you have any plans tonight?" She asked, voice more excited than usual. "It's a Monday night," I chuckled softly, "My plans consist of homework and tapping out until tomorrow." Her musical laugh sounded from the other end as she agreed, "That's right. Well, I won't keep your up dear."

"Alright, tell Daddy and Tai hello for me," I added with a smile. "Of course! Goodnight Ino," she finished hurriedly. "Night Mom," I tossed out softly.

Pulling out my laptop from my bag, I started it up, eyes flickering to the TV every so often. It didn't appear that I had any homework, at least none due tomorrow anyways. There was a small writing assignment and online quiz due on Thursday and from the looks of it, they'd be fairly easy. "Looks like I got the night off," I mumbled to myself, head rolling back against the head of the couch.

My phone sprung to life beside me, instantly catching my attention. Picking it up and noticing who was calling, I answered, "Hey! What's up?"

"Ino, are you busy?" I heard Sakura ask, her voice low and a bit strained. I shook my head, knowing that she wouldn't be able to see me. "No, not really. I'm just sitting here. I was thinking about getting some homework done early. Why, what's up?" I asked, rising from the couch to flick the thermostat back up a bit. It felt terribly cold and I had almost forgotten that Sakura had turned it down the other night to help me sleep. Zipping my jack up to my neck, I settled back into the couch.

"I'm coming to pick you up," she stated simply, her voice leaving no room for argument. I scowled, glancing at the clock on the wall by the kitchen. "For what? It's nearly ten o'clock." What could be so important that she had to drag me from the safety of my home at such an hour on a school night? Fingers tangling in my hair, I asked, "Can it wait until tomorrow?"

"Actually, it can't. Look just be ready in fifteen minutes," she mumbled, quickly hanging up and leaving me nothing short of confused. "Jerk," I huffed out to no one in particular. I glanced at the clock again, sighing when I realized how fast fifteen minutes would get here. Glancing down at my gross uniform, I decided that no matter how late it was, I refused to leave home looking a mess.

I didn't have time to shower which was a little more than disheartening, but a fresh pair of bummy clothes couldn't hurt.

Quickly bouncing off to my room, I discarded my uniform and threw it in with the rest of my dirty clothes. I didn't work tomorrow which means I could wash it later. I slipped into a pair of black sweatpants and the tank top that came with it. Tugging my favorite light blue fleece jacket over my head and tossing on a bit of perfume, I made my way back to the front of my apartment. I secured my tennis shoes back to my feet and glanced over at the clock.

It had taken me about seven minutes to do all of that and with a glance at my kitchen, I figured now would be the best time to tackle those dishes lurking in the sink. I made what I thought was quick work of them but the buzzing of my phone said otherwise. Curse falling from my lips when I cut my finger, I slipped it into my mouth to stop from getting blood on my phone as I tugged it to my ear clumsily.

"Hello?" I asked innocently, knowing fully well who was calling.

"Let's go Ino, we don't have time for games," she groaned as I heard her yell at someone to keep still and for another person to stop talking. Who else had she forced from their home for the sake of some random adventure she just had to do tonight. I started to ask but she didn't give me time, only mumbling for me to hurry up and get downstairs.

So rude she was today.

Grabbing my keys and my wallet, I left and hopped downstairs. Her car was parked beside my own, running as the exhaust turned into small clouds before disappearing entirely. I started to claim the front seat before a figure sitting there caught my attention. Not wanting to waste any more time, lest I feel Sakura's wrath, I slid into the backseat.

Before I could apologize for taking so long, I turned to my left where a tiny pair of green eyes were peering at me curiously. The cutest, fluffiest, white ball of fur I'd ever seen was eagerly wagging his tail as he took a few steps towards me. However, when he was only inches away, Sakura turned around to narrow her eyes sternly as she pointed at him, "No. Sit."

A conflicted whine left his furry lips as he shifted back and forth. "Hey," Sakura warned again, "Didn't I say sit?" He barked, almost as if he was replying. Then, the figure sitting in front decided to speak up. A girl, long golden brown hair and eyes to match turned to face the bundle of fur beside me. "Shiro, sit down. _Now_ ," she warned in a voice that was almost as dark as Sakura's.

Reluctantly, he sat. Though his eyes never left me and I could tell he wanted nothing more to come and jump on me which I wouldn't have minded. Turning my attention to Sakura, I asked the question prickling at my thoughts, "So, are you gonna tell me what this is about?" I was able to catch the brief look she threw me from the rearview mirror as we made the trip to god knows where.

"You'll see when we get there. Now's not the time," she answered dryly, obviously not wanting to talk about it any further. I sat back in my seat, eyes shifting to the pup who had tried to sneakily inch his way closer. She caught my wandering eyes as she quickly mumbled, "Don't touch him." I retracted my hand slowly, glaring her down from the backseat.

"I just don't need him getting excited because he hasn't been walked yet. Unless you don't mind him dribbling out little specks of pee on you, I suggest you keep your hands to yourself until we get where we have to go." Her reasoning was valid enough though it didn't make it any easier to resist such a cute little thing. A scoff from the front of the car caught my attention as I caught the girl glaring at Sakura. "For the love of God," she groaned in frustration, "Do you have to be an asshole about everything?"

"You're the last person I wanna hear spouting that bullshit," Sakura retorted with narrowed eyes. The girl only crossed her arms and turned around to face me with a smile. It was then that I noticed how familiar she looked. Her features were far too similar to another friend of mines and it had thrown me for a loop as I clumsily asked her to repeat her question. With a giggle, she extended her hand, shaking my own firmly as she said, "I'm Rin, nice to meet you. Ino right?"

I nodded slowly, blinking in confusion as I tried to get a hold of myself. She was undeniably pretty but that wasn't the reason I couldn't tear my gaze away. Not liking the feeling, I asked simply, "I'm sorry but do I know you?" It was her turn to watch me in shock as she blinked and pulled back only slightly. The shock didn't last long however as she soon traded it for a smile, "Well no not personally but you might be—"

But she didn't finish because Sakura slammed on her breaks far too quickly for her to get another word out. "What the fuck Sakura!?" Rin hissed, shoving her none too lightly as we pulled into the parking lot of the familiar police headquarters. I looked on worriedly as her veins throbbed in her hand that was tightened around the steering wheel. "Sakura," I whispered just loud enough for her to her me call her name. I asked, "Are you okay?"

"Get out the car Ino," she mumbled, releasing the lock on the door. I moved slowly, fingers tugging the handle as the door swung open. "You don't have to act like that Sakura! Quit acting like such a cold-hearted bit—"

"Shut up already!" Sakura practically growled, eyes flickering dangerously as she grinded her teeth together. I flinched in the backseat, having stopped in my efforts of leaving like I was told. Rin on the other hand only pulled back when Sakura drew too close. Brow furrowed and eyes narrowed, she didn't say anything and chose to loathe Sakura in silence. Sakura on the other hand, seemed far from being done. "I told you to stay at home, didn't I? But for all that is fucking difficult in my life, you just _had_ to come with! I told you I was irritated and yet you've been nagging me the whole fucking ride here and I'm sick of it!"

Again, Rin was silent as she ripped her eyes away from Sakura and glared out the window. I instantly felt sorry for the girl. Sakura definitely wasn't in this much of a pissy mood when I was with her today. I wondered what might have brought on her sudden aggressive behavior. It was clear that no more words would be exchanged between the two for the time being. However, what didn't go unnoticed was the subtle flash of regret in Sakura's eyes as she looked at Rin.

With a sigh, she mumbled again, "Let's go Ino." Choosing not to get riled up again, I quickly scrambled out, closing the door behind me. The little ball of fur, Shiro, was instantly at the window, tiny paws and nails scratching as we made our way up the steps and into the large building.

I followed closely behind Sakura, eyes roaming over the parts of the precinct that I didn't remember from before. That days seemed so long ago when in reality, it hadn't even been a week. I stopped, well crashed rather, into Sakura's back who wasn't paying me much attention. She stood there, eyes narrowed at the police chief whom I remembered only because he had given me the coffee that night. Hands in his pockets, he returned her look with a frown as he looked between the two of us.

"I assume you know why you're here," he started calmly, eyes scrutinizing the two of us at the same time.

"I do," Sakura quickly answered before I had the chance, "But she doesn't. Before you drag us into anymore bullshit, you're going to tell her exactly what you had my father call and tell me." Silence lingered between the three of us with the only noise being the typing away of keyboards and the ever-present sound of footsteps but no one else spoke. None that I could hear anyway. That was, until he cleared his throat and motioned for me to sit.

With a sigh, he closed the distance between us and stooped down in front of me so that our eyes were level. Then, in an exhausted voice, he mumbled,

"Miss Yamanaka, unfortunately, you and Miss Haruno are suspects for the murder that occurred this past weekend. Until we get some things straightened out, we're going to have to take you both into custody."

And I felt my heart drop right into my very stomach as I tried to make sense of what was happening to me as a pair of hands gently helped me up and a pair of cuffs clicked around my wrists.

* * *

 **Meh. Bleh. Sleep. Need it. Last day before Thanksgiving Break and I have a test in several hours. So I'm heading to bed now. Read, review, the whole shebang. Also, to the other fans, the next chapters I update will be for Love and War and Freestyle. Just so you know and don't have to blindly stumble around in the dark trying to figure out what's next. Love you guys!**


	5. Until Proven Guilty

**Here's the other update. Sorry about the cut off of the bundle. Read and enjoy and all shall be explained in the end note!**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 5: Until Proven Guilty**_

It felt cold and empty here. Just like I expected it to feel in a holding cell. But I suppose, in spite of being stuck here, at least I had Sakura to keep me company. Though, by the way she was glaring holes into the ceiling as she waiting for it to combust into flames, it was safe to say that she wouldn't be much help in the efforts to ease my anxiety.

Not wanting to anger her further, I cast my gaze outside our little cell, watching as several officers and detectives walked by. None of them seemed to really bother with glancing in Sakura's direction and I suppose it had a lot to do with her aura.

Feet propped up on the small cot with one leg thrown over the other and hands folded neatly behind her head. Though it was obvious that the whole situation was annoying her, she was extremely calm. I wondered if the reason that they all ignored her had anything to with how she was dressed. She had the whole punk bad girl with tattoos thing going on. Not that it bothered me any but to them I'm sure they probably figured she'd done something wrong to deserve to be put here.

"Who's the girl in there with Haruno," I overheard one of the officers ask, eyes subtly glancing over at me before flickering away when I returned his glance.

With a sigh, the other officer ran his fingers through his trimmed chestnut brown hair. "Apparently she's the girl who was said to be with Haruno that night when the murder happened. They've been taken into custody to see if they had anything to do with what happened." A scoff from the officer who had originally mentioned me forced a scowl on my lips.

"No way that kid had anything to do with it," he stated simply, giving me a distasteful look. Kid? I'm fucking twenty-one you dick. I'm pretty sure if I wanted to kill someone, I could. Obviously not saying I would because it was wrong and I'm pretty sure I didn't have the stomach to end someone's life in cold blood like that. I think it just annoyed me that he figured some _little girl_ like me would be capable of such a thing.

But whatever, I knew I was innocent and that's all that was important.

Another thing that caught my attention was how they all knew Sakura so well. Was it because he parents worked here? Or perhaps she lived a little more on the wild side than I thought and constantly ended up here after getting mixed up in some sort of criminal activity.

That might explain the tense relationship she had with her parents, more specifically her father. It was obvious that the two of them weren't fond of each other. Though I'd hate to side with him, I suppose thinking logically, one could see why her father wasn't happy with her. She didn't seem the least bit respectful of him and her behavior at times was outrageous.

However, I could see why Sakura was annoyed by her father as well. The man seemed like a total prick. I'd seen men like him before. Then get a nice looking wife, great paying job and fancy cars and whatnot. Then they became absorbed into their lifestyle and acted entitled to any and everything. And it probably led her to become the little rebel she was today.

All things considered, including her obvious attitude and lack of proper socialization skills, she didn't seem all that bad. She was actually pretty cool once you got to know her, though knowing her for a couple of days didn't exactly make us friends. But for now I think it was safe to assume that she didn't exactly hate my guts so I guess that counted for something.

"Hey Haruno," the other officer with slick back hair mumbled, "The Superintendent would like to speak with the both of you." I glanced over at Sakura whose eyes were closed and hadn't so much as mumbled a word to indicate that she'd even heard the man. Clearly this annoyed him as he swung open the small cell and stormed over to her. "Haruno did you hear me?" He hissed.

Eyes opening, she blinked at the ceiling for a second before directing an annoyed glare at him. With an unimpressed snort, she swung her legs over the side and proceeded to brush past him without a word. Striking an already thin nerve, he snapped, "Did you hear me you little brat?"

"Piss off," she returned with narrowed eyes.

"Sakura," I interrupted with a warning look.

Her eyes locked with mine instantly, frown on her lips. "You can't just disrespect an officer like that," I told her sternly. Of course she didn't care and it didn't help that the officer was now looking at her with a smug look. "Thank you young lady," he told me with a confident smirk, "It seems that unlike that one, you understand the basic concept of manners. Go on girl, apologize."

Sakura only rolled her eyes and turned down the hall, "Yeah don't hold your breath dude. Let's go Ino." I stood still for a moment before realizing that she was talking to me. "Coming!" I called after her, quickly hopping up from my own bed. Before I could leave, I turned to the officer who was standing there looking nothing short of appalled.

Sheepish smile, I whispered, "Sorry, she's a little rough around the edges. I'm sure she—"

"Let's go Ino," I heard Sakura call from down the hall.

This time I followed immediately. When I slipped into the hall however, she was nowhere to be found. I turned down another hall, looking around to spot that impossible to miss pink hair. "Sakura?" I called, only to see her leaning against the wall not too far down. I quickly skipped to her side, giving her another sheepish grin. Her only response was the arch of her brow before she nodded down the hall, "Come on."

I followed her closely, not wanting to get lost in such a huge place. As we walked, I found my eyes roaming over the place. There were people hard at work, scurrying from place to place with documents and various files in their hands. Others sat idly behind their desks, either chatting amongst one another or typing away at their computers.

My roaming eyes had distracted me as I crashed into Sakura's back. Slightly stunned, I glanced up at her in confusion. She didn't look at me, she just stood there looking dead ahead. Standing on the tips of my toes, I peeked over her shoulder to see that we were waiting for the elevator.

It didn't take long and before I knew it the doors were opening. Two men who were far too engaged in their own conversation to notice us slipped out as we quickly took their place. We rode up in silence and As I observed the numbers of floors rapidly changing, I was surprised to see we were going to the top floor. I suppose it did make since after all, the officer mentioned we were going to see the Superintendent.

I didn't know what exactly their job was but whatever it was must've been pretty important.

We stepped out after reaching our floor and I was hot on Sakura's heels. I noticed how much more professional everything looked up here. I assumed it was probably because this is where most of the big bosses were located. Focusing back on where we were going, I noticed we were headed in the direction of a large office with a gold nameplate on it that I couldn't quite make out. Sakura stopped several inches in front of the doors before reaching out her fist to knock.

"Come in Sakura," a stern voice called from inside.

I was surprised by the fact they already knew who was standing outside their door. Sakura on the other hand remained as stoic as ever, pushing the door open as we walked inside. I didn't really know who to expect once I walked in but I knew for sure that I hadn't anticipated it would be Sakura's very on mother.

Of course I knew her parents worked here and I knew they were pretty important based on their state of attire the other night along with their superior auras. I just didn't know they were _that_ important. If her mother was the Superintendent then I could only imagine what title her father held.

Hands furiously typed away at the computer sitting upon the mahogany desk. Glasses sat perfectly upon her face as she stared intently at the screen. Her face was intense from the amount of concentration she was putting in. Lips firm in a tight line and jaw set.

We stood in silence, me with my hands folded behind my back and Sakura with her hands in her pockets as always. The only noise in the room was that of her mother's quick fingers. About another minute later, she stopped. Tugging the glasses from her face, she placed them neatly on her desk. Leaning back in her chair, she massaged her temple achingly before opening her eyes.

"Sakura," she spoke softly.  
"Mother," Sakura replied simply.

Her mother's eyes flickered to me and instantly I straightened up. She didn't seem to be too bothered by my presence, simply asking, "What's your name?" Clearing my throat, I stepped forward beside Sakura. "Ino…Ino Yamanaka ma'am," I quickly told her, not wanting to waste her time.

She nodded, leaning forward as she folded her hands and rested her chin atop of them. "You're the young lady from the other night correct? You mentioned that Sakura saved you that night." I nodded, confirming what she already knew to be true. "Yes ma'am. I'm very appreciative. I owe a lot to her," I finished with a glance in Sakura's direction. She was staring at me as well, forcing a blush on my cheeks as I quickly looked away.

"I see," her mother whispered glancing between the two of us, "It has come to my attention that you both were brought in as potential suspects in regards to the homicide that happened over the weekend. Care to explain, Sakura?"

"Father called. Told me exactly what you just said and told me that I needed to bring Ino in with me to get things situated," she finished with a sigh, freeing one hand from her pocket to run through her hair. It instantly fell back to her pocket as she glanced at her mother once more, "I guess my word doesn't count for much but I figured you might be able to help."

A sigh came from across the room. Looking none too pleased with the situation, Sakura's mother rose from her seat. Moving from behind the desk, she moved to lean against the front of it, hands bracing her position. "Sakura, I trust you despite your behavior as of late. Now you know I've cleared you of many small incidents in the past but murder is a whole other ball game we're discussing. I need you to swear to me that you both had nothing to do with what happened that night."

She nodded, saying nothing further.

"Very well then. I will speak on your behalf and have you both cleared. However, you both might have to undergo surveillance for a while. This is to ensure that you two aren't getting in any other trouble." Her mother added, folded her arms over her chest.

Though I was relieved to hear that I could go home, I was a little skeptical about the other news. Unable to bite my curiosity any longer I asked, "Umm, surveillance ma'am?"

She nodded. "Ah, but don't worry. It's nothing extreme. Your privacy will not be exploited. Simply keeping tabs on where you are. As long as everything checks out for about a week or so, I'll have it lifted. Assuming my daughter is telling the truth, you'll have nothing to worry about." I nodded. It didn't seem so bad after all and as long as I could go home and rest, I was happy.

"Well, that's it then I suppose," her mother finished, rising up from the desk. To my surprise, she walked over to Sakura, placing her hand on her shoulder. "Get home safely and call me if you need anything. I'll let your father know about what the plan is. If he calls, try not to give him too much of a hard time. Hmm?"

"No promises," she murmured with a huff.

"Sakura," her mother warned with an arch of her brow.

"Yeah sure," she finally answered, "Later mom." A half smile worked its way onto her mother's lips. Carefully, she ruffled Sakura's hair before whispering, "Love you too sweetheart, I'll see you soon. Go on you two." She ushered us out of her office, closing the door behind us gently. I turned to stare at the door blankly, unsure of what exactly just happened.

Sakura on the other hand was already halfway down the hall. I darted after her, glancing one final time at the office we had just left before turning to her. As we entered the elevator once more, I couldn't stop the question at the tip of my tongue. "Your mom, you get along with her," I commented but there was an underlying tone of questioning in my voice as well.

"Between the two of them, my mom is the most tolerable. She doesn't act all high and mighty and ride my ass all day like my sorry excuse for a father," she grumbled, making her way through the front doors once we got to the main floor. Something about her words stirred something inside of me. I caught her wrist before she could go down the first step, "But just like your mom, he cares. He's still your father and at least he's around Sakura. That's gotta count for something right?"

She didn't answer, instead she stared down into the dimly lit parking lot. Her hands were buried inside her pockets with her hair whipping about her face in the violent wind. Slowly, her head turned over her shoulder, green eyes practically glowing as she stared me down. Her face contorted in confusion as she struggled with whatever she was going to say. But before she could open her lips, a loud beep of a horn cut her off.

"Let's go Sakura! You've kept us waiting long enough as is," Rin shouted from the car, obviously annoyed. Her eyes glazed over instantly with a look of pure annoyance. I moved to grab her arm again but she shot me a look that stopped me instantly. Hair hanging about her face, obscuring her eyes from the world, she mumbled plain and simple.

"No, it doesn't…it doesn't count at all."

X

"I'm glad you could make it Ino, it means a lot having you here," Ayame's father informed me with a warm smile as he pulled me into a tight hug. The man was strong but I'd received much tighter hugs from my father in the past. So this was nothing.

I was careful not to pull away until he chose to release me first. I didn't want to give off the impression that I was uncomfortable. The man had been nothing but kind to me ever since Ayame first introduced me to him during freshman year. I could only imagine how hard it was for him to see me without her considering we were always attached at the hip. It was for that reason, I allowed him to hold me as long as he pleased.

Soon enough, he pulled away, hand reaching up to brush away a few tears. "I wouldn't miss it for anything sir. Please, let me know if there is anything I can do to help," I offered sincerely, giving the strongest smile I could manage. He nodded with a weak smile of his own.

"Thank you. I will. If you don't mind, I'm going to find the missus," he informed me and with a gentle squeeze of my shoulder, he slipped through the crowd and disappeared. I turned to leave, apologizing as I weaved in and out of the crowd. I didn't know most of the people there but of course I hadn't expected to. I was doing my part as a friend and comforting the family during the grieving process.

I didn't come to make friends or mingle.

"Sorry," I quickly blurted out when I collided with someone. They mumbled a curse and instantly regretting my actions, I extended my hand to help them up. "I was in a rush, trying to get out of here before the roads get packed," I hurriedly explained, trying to prove that it was in fact an honest mistake and that I wasn't being a jerk.

The girl rose to her feet, eyeing me as she stood. Brushing off her clothes, she sighed when she realized that her attempts were in vain. I started to apologize again but she only waved me off. "You know what kid, don't even worry about it," she sighed, standing up fully to catch my eyes, "So you're that girl huh?"

Her question came as a shock, earning a dumbfounded look from me. Looking around in confusion only to realize that she was in fact talking to me, I asked, "I'm sorry…do I know you?" She shook her head, hands dipping into her jean pockets which I just now discovered she was wearing. Odd attire for a funeral but that wasn't exactly any of my business.

"Nah…nah you don't," she told me, running her fingers through her long golden brown hair, "But I know you." To my surprise, she tossed me a smooth grin, flashing a perfect set of white teeth. I started to ask how but my words died with the look she gave me. But she was smart, she knew what I was going to ask.

"Ayame. She was my favorite cousin," the girl told me. She turned to walk in the opposite direction but somehow, she knew. That I would follow. "She talked about you a lot when we hung out, always telling me about her amazing and funny best friend with the blonde hair and blue eyes. Always talking about how we needed to meet," she finished, snagging a small finger sandwich from the buffet table before taking a bite.

Her cousin?

I mean of course, I figured she had family. Most people did. But the girl in front of me mentioned that she was her favorite, and yet I'd never heard a single thing about her. Not that I could remember anyway. Her honey brown eyes watched me before she tossed me one of the sandwiches. I grimaced a little bit, giving her a helpless look, "I'm sorry, I already ate. But…thank you."

She shrugged, leaning against the wall, chewing as she dusted the crumbs from her fingers. "Well then toss it in the trash. You looked kinda sick, thought you might be hungry." I shook my head, giving her a small smile as I dropped the sandwich into a trash bag in the corner. "No…I'm alright, I appreciate it though."

Something else picking at me, I asked her, "Who are you?"

She walked over, squeezing my shoulder reassuringly. Leaning into my ear, she smiled and whispered, "The name is Reika. Try not to forget it sweetheart, you'll be seeing me again real soon." And without another word, she dropped her hand from my shoulder as she became one with the crowd.

X

My eyes were heavy and with each tick of the clock on my wall, they only grew heavier. I couldn't make heads or tails of the time, I just knew that it was late and that I was exhausted. Pushing myself away from my desk, I slipped down the stairs, peeking over the railing where I saw my brother on the couch on his phone.

I took another step down and the creak of the stairs caught his attention.

"Oh…I thought you went to bed already," he said, scooting over on the couch, patting the space beside him. With a tired smile, I rubbed my eyes and crawled over to lay down beside him, head resting in his lap.

Shaking my head, I brought my hand to my mouth, doing my best to cover my yawn. "I was up studying," I told him, fighting back another yawn. He rolled his eyes, hand pinching my cheek, "Come on Duck, it's called Fall _Break_ because you're supposed to actually be on break." I couldn't help but giggle at the nickname.

It had been a long time since he called me that and honestly, hearing it after so long only made me smile harder. "Duck huh," I turned to smirk at him, "What's gotten into you?" He shrugged, moving to throw the blanket on the back of the couch over me.

"I should ask you that," he mumbled, hand gripping my shoulder tight. He frowned, turning down the TV as he caught my chin. Shocked, I looked up at him with wide eyes. Nervously, I stumbled out, "I don't know what you're talking about." But he gave me a look. One that was not amused and commanded a serious answer.

"Ino. I know you went to the funeral and that it was really hard on you but—"

"Stop," I told him, not wanting to hear anymore.

"Sis, you need—" he tried again desperately.

"Tai. Please. That's enough," I said, eyes already burning because of the tears that were begging to escape. I brought his hand to my cheek, closing my eyes as tight as I could and released a shaky breath. "I…I just don't want you to have to do this alone. Get some rest Ino, you need it," he reassured me, fingers running through my hair.

I nodded, allowing my brother's warmth and security to lull me to sleep. Hours later, I was being placed into my bed, sheets being pulled over my arms. After a quick kiss on my forehead and a mumble of good night, he was gone and I was alone.

I waited for a bit, until I heard the familiar clicking of his door shut and his light being flicked off that I reached over to my desk and grabbed my phone off of the charger. Scrolling through my messages, I sent one to Sakura, in hopes that she'd be up. But as the seconds rolled into minutes and minutes turned into an hour, I gave up.

With a sigh, I placed my phone face down on the desk and rolled over to attempt sleep for the second time tonight.

* * *

 **Okay, so though I know I've done this before, I'm doing it again. New story ideas have been brewing. This is different however because though I've always been fond of SakuIno pairings, I've wanted to work on the pairing that I originally was going to do. SasuSaku. You may commence the groan. When I first stumbled upon FF that was my intention but I somehow stumbled across SakuIno and it went from there. With the Naruto Manga having come to it's close, I feel like I could do something different that hasn't already been done within the realms of SasuSaku or at least a little different. It's actually my favorite pairing anyway so I figured it's about time. Don't worry. I'll come back to SakuIno, just thought I'd broaden my range a bit. Still love me?**


	6. The More You Know

**Umm…author's note. Don't have much of one. Just know that I am very much alive and still trying to work updates into the busy schedule of my life consisting of school, work and the gym. Trying to get good grades, make money and be healthy is such a challenge. First world problems, am I right? Wrong. Lol. But I'm grateful for such things. Anyways, here's a random chapter for you!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 6: The More You Know**_

"Sakura?" I asked, hoping that the mess of pink hair I was observing did in fact belong to the girl in question.

I found relief as she spun around, looking curiously to see just who had called her name. With a wave of my fingers, I caught her attention as I made my way closer. I was greeted by the toss of her head as she asked me, "Sup. What are you doing here?" She didn't seem at all annoyed in her questioning, instead looking mildly interested as to why I was here in the store as well.

Adjusting my purse on my shoulder, I smiled, "Well, it's rather warm out today. Especially for it being the middle of October. My mom and dad decided to throw some stuff on the grill and do a barbeque with some of our neighbors."

She nodded, pushing her cart down the aisle slowly so that I could keep up. "I see," she replied calmly, pausing to eye a box of cereal before tossing it in with the rest of the items she'd already picked up. I hummed in agreement, following behind her with my basket as I grabbed a few things and tossed them inside.

"What about you? Doing anything special today?" I asked, already planning some magical way to convince her to get out and hang out at my place.

She shrugged, squatting down to inspect a large container which I recognized as protein powder. Wasn't quite sure what it was for but I did know that my brother had a whole mess of them that he was constantly drinking. Having decided between two of them, she dropped one in her cart and turned to me, "Not really. Might take the dog to the park, let him run around a bit so he can stop being a brat. Might hit up one of my boys and see if he wants to catch a movie."

We began moving again and upon hearing her plans and seeing that nothing was actually set in stone yet, I asked, "Well…maybe you could come to my place? I wouldn't mind having you over."

I found her shock at my offer a little amusing in all honesty. Had she really not expected me to ask? I mean, sure, we weren't the closest of friends but she was definitely a friend all the same. I didn't have too many of them that were around anymore. Though my neighbors were nice, most of them were friends of my parents or my younger brother so I didn't have many people to talk to.

She seemed to be thinking it over and the frown on her face seemed to only indicate that she wasn't too keen on the idea. "I don't know Ino," she sighed, pausing when she realized I had stopped to pick something up. "I didn't make the best impression the first time I was around your parents and I'm not one for awkward situations."

Her comment only forced me to roll my eyes as I continued to blindly follow her around, realizing that I already had everything I needed. "Please, I'm sure they were a little thrown off by how you spoke to your dad but I'm also pretty sure that they're more grateful than anything. You did save me after all."

I saw her part her lips to argue but I quickly silenced her with a sigh, "Don't say that you didn't Sakura. There's no way I would've known what to do. I would've freaked and they would've killed me without a moment's hesitation. I could've died that night but-"

"Don't talk like that," she snapped at me.

Fists clenched the handle of her basket tightly to the point where her knuckles were practically white. Her eyes narrowed at the ground before she shook her head, effectively pulling her out of whatever funk she was just in. She grew silent, moving from aisle to aisle before making her way to the counter to check out.

We silently paid for our things and made our way to the parking lot but before she could disappear on me, I gently caught her wrist. Eyes practically pleading, I asked, "Will you come?"

"Ino," she sighed, eyes moving from my fingers that hadn't left her wrist to my eyes that were urging her to take me up on my offer.

After about another minute of me giving her the puppy dog eyes, she gave in. "Alright, I'll be there. Just text me your parents address. I'll just tell my boy that we'll have to reschedule." She seemed slightly bummed but I wasn't too sure as to why.

Did she really want to hang out with her friend? Would it be awhile before they hung out again?

My intentions weren't to force her to go, just to maybe get a chance to hang out outside of school and maybe get to know her a little better. "You don't have to cancel; you can go meet your friend if you want. Or," I paused, biting my lip to think, "Maybe…maybe you both could come. I wouldn't mind any. We've got plenty of room. And if you don't want to stay, grab a bite now and then head to the movies."

A smile spread across my cheeks at the even more shocked look on her face. It would seem I had thrown yet another curveball her way leaving her with only one answer. Noticing my smile, she returned it with a frown, grumbling out, "You are being really persistent, I hope you know that."

I rolled my eyes, taking slow steps backwards towards my car, "So I'll see you there soon. Make sure you bring your friend."

Waving me off, she got in her car, pulling off and heading home. Now I was definitely excited to get home as soon as possible.

* * *

"You didn't have to bring anything Sakura," I complained, eyeing the two heavy looking cases of soda she was carrying as she stood outside on my porch. She shrugged, throwing her head back in the direction of her car where I saw a boy about our age with spiked blonde hair heaving two cases of water our way.

"There's water too. You didn't exactly tell me what to bring and I wasn't about to show up empty-handed," she tossed with a grunt before hissing, "Now how about you let us in cause this isn't exactly light."

I snorted, amused only slightly as I held the door open for them both, sticking my tongue out at her meanwhile smiling at her friend who grinned and tossed me a teasing wink. I left the door unlocked, knowing other people would be dropping by soon enough. "Umm, you can just sit this stuff down here. The cooler is outside but I'll just have my brother toss the drinks in."

They sat the cases down, Sakura rolling her shoulder and the boy impressively looking around my house which to be honest wasn't even all that impressive.

Realizing that I hadn't spoken myself yet, I extended my hand to him. With a friendly smile, I introduced myself, "Sorry. I'm Ino, nice to meet you." He gave me the same warm smile from before, grabbing my hand and shaking it firmly, "Nice to meet ya Ino! I'm Naruto, solid place you've got here."

I giggled at his enthusiasm, dropping his hand slowly as I nodded, "Thanks. Home sweet home. Didn't mean to ruin your plans but I'm glad you could make it."

Naruto on the other hand didn't seem the least bit annoyed. He chuckled, squeezing my shoulder reassuringly. "No worries! The movie doesn't start till late so I wouldn't be doing shit else except fucking around at home by myself." I nodded, noticing how friendly Naruto was. I wouldn't say he was a complete contrast to Sakura but it was definitely odd to see her with someone so bubbly and hyper.

The door to the patio swung open as my parents walked in together.

I saw Sakura instantly tense as she rubbed at the back of her neck. Figuring I'd save her from such an awkward situation, I did the speaking for her. "Hey. Mom…Dad, I invited Sakura and her friend to join us if that's alright. They brought some extra drinks too just in case."

Much to my relief and I'm sure Sakura's as well, they didn't seem the least bit bothered. My mom walked over to Sakura first, drying her hand on a towel as she brought Sakura into a hug which caught her off guard but she returned nonetheless. Naruto introduced himself as well before my mom caught him too in a locked embrace. "Nice to see you again Sakura dear and it's nice meeting you Naruto. Food is pretty much ready, don't be Shy and help yourselves to whatever!" She scurried back outside after my father handed her a tray before he too walked over.

He shook both of their hands, greeting them both and encouraging them the way my mother had. "Trust me, I wouldn't want to be stuck down here with a bunch of old folks either. Ino, you can take them to your room or if they want you guys can go downstairs in the basement if Tai and his friends haven't taken it already."

"Sure thing Dad," I groaned when he ruffled my hair, shoving him away.

I motioned for them to follow me upstairs to my room. I had rushed back and cleaned it as quick as I could, knowing that I'd have guest. I didn't want to seem like a total slob in front of them though I'm pretty sure they wouldn't have minded much. "So, here's my room. Nothing special. If you want, I can put a movie in. Feel free to get comfy and sit wherever."

Naruto wasted no time in plopping face down into my bed, whining about how incredibly soft it was which for a smile on my lips. Sakura on the other treaded lightly, almost as if she was afraid to mess up anything. She had been to my apartment at school before but she hadn't been to my parents' house yet.

Whatever it was she was worried about honestly didn't really matter considering that I rarely came here myself. Everything was pretty much how I left it with only a few things missing as they were at my home away from home.

I was relieved to see her finally sit down at my desk, hands in her pockets as she relaxed. Or at least attempted to.

"So, Ino right?" Naruto asked, eyes sparkling with curiosity. "How'd you and Sakura meet in the first place?" I blinked silently at his question, lips slightly parted before closing. I turned to Sakura unsure of whether or not I should explain the predicament that had brought us together.

Oddly enough, she didn't seem to care much at all. Shrugging she pulled her phone from her pocket and mumbled, "That shit that blew over at Ayame's place downtown. By some stroke of luck, we were in the right place at the wrong time in a sense. We made it, they didn't."

The last part of her sentence made my heart twist painfully. The way she had stated it…like the whole situation hadn't been nearly as terrifying as I recalled. Perhaps to her, it hadn't. But to me…it was impossible to pretend that it never happened.

Looking for any chance to change the subject, I found myself asking, "How'd you know Ayame?"

If I hadn't already been staring her down in hopes of an answer, I never would've noticed the way she instantly paused and her jaw tightened the second I asked. Eyes slowly rising from her phone to look at me, she mumbled, "It doesn't really matter now does it?"

But before I could comment that yes it actually did matter, she stood and mumbled, "I need a smoke break. I'll be back."

The soft click of my door confirmed that she had indeed left and Naruto and I were the only two in the room. He sighed, sitting up with a huff. Fingers rubbing the back of his neck nervously, he tossed, "Hey, listen Ino. Sakura might act all hard all the time but she's actually a pretty big softie. Your question got to her a bit is all. Despite what you think, she actually cared a lot about her."

I was surprised that he was able to read my thoughts so well. How he could feel my worry and urge to go chase after her and make sure she was all right. Thought crossing my mind, I briefly wondered what else I could get out of him. "Were they close friends?" I found the question tumbling from my lips.

Shock crossed his face briefly before dropping to a sad smile. Leaning back on the palms of his hands, he nodded, "Well…you could say that. Truth is, Ayame was Sakura's first crush back in high school and her first girlfriend. So they've got more history than anything."

I didn't have time to mask my shock as my eyes went wide upon hearing the news. Of all things, I never would've guessed that the two of them had been a couple at any point in time. Naruto left me with little time to recover though because he was already continuing with his story.

"Yeah I know," he chuckled with a grin, "Pretty interesting couple they were. Argued a lot but never about anything serious. At the end of the day though, you couldn't separate the two of 'em. She was always at Sakura's side and Sakura was always around her too. For whatever reason, things went south. They were fighting a lot more and the arguments just kept getting worse. Eventually, Ayame called it off."

More shocking news. I had anticipated the break up, not because it was obvious but clearly from the time that I had been friends with Ayame, she had never mentioned being in a solid relationship with anyone. Just a random guy or girl she'd have a fling with and that was it.

But hearing that Ayame was the one who broke up with Sakura and not the other way around was hard to wrap my mind around.

I instantly berated myself for stereotyping her like that because she didn't deserve it. But it was just too hard to believe. Shaking my head, I asked, "How did…Sakura…how'd she take it?"

With a sigh, he stared at the door, almost as if he were waiting for her to come bursting in at any time. "She wasn't happy. Far from it actually. It tore her apart actually. She didn't make a big scene about it but the days, weeks and months that followed…she just kinda started being more of a loner than she already was."

"Do you think she was at the party that night to patch things up?" I asked.

"Nah, I doubt it. The thing was, they still talked from time to time. They would hang out and grab lunch and things like that. Ayame really did enjoy having Sakura around so she'd invite her to things all the time. But Sakura would turn most of them down. Knowing her, she wouldn't want to be around watching guys and girls alike pushing up on her. Getting dances and hooking up with people who weren't her would definitely rub her the wrong way."

A small smile pulled at my lips as I recalled how overly flirtatious she would be at these parties of hers. How she'd always have some guy in her face asking for a dance or a girl pulled to the side as they flirted shamelessly. Of course Sakura wouldn't want to have a front row seat to that.

"Anyway, from what Sakura did tell me, Ayame said that she wanted to talk to her about something. Saying she missed her and how badly she wanted to see her. I wasn't so sure about it but of course hearing shit like that stroked Sakura's ego far too much to resist. From what I also heard, they had taken and messed around during the party too."

Just when I thought I had heard it all, Naruto went and laid another one on me. I made a strong mental note to keep him around when I wanted answer because he clearly was the go to guy for such things.

But, oddly enough. It made sense.

I recalled how I hadn't seen Ayame during most of the party. She picked me up and brought me to her place where I helped her get shit together before people began slowly trickling in. She never had a drink in her hand during that time but during my last few moments of seeing after about an hour, she had already been slurring and falling all over the place.

It probably explained why Sakura was in her bathroom as well. Had she and Ayame been fucking around just minutes before shit hit the fan. It explained so much and now I felt like there was more I wanted to ask Sakura.

However, I think that I had probably gotten more information than I was supposed to tonight. I'd leave it like that.

With perfect timing, Sakura came back in looking a lot better than before. The second she walked in, the lingering traces of smoke hung heavily in the air. From what I knew, cigarettes didn't get you high, or at least it was rather unlikely but for many people, they were some sort of stress relief. However, for many it became an addictive habit which could become detrimental to their health.

For Sakura, I surely hoped this wasn't the case.

Naruto, obviously aware of the situation at hand, rose from my bed and with a reassuring smile, nodded for me follow along. "Smells like the food is just finishing up. Let's go grab a plate huh?" He grinned, already swinging open my door and heading downstairs. I nodded, hoisting myself up to follow when Sakura called my name.

I stopped instantly, turning to face her with a soft smile, "Everything alright?"

I could feel the way her eyes penetrated my own, seeping into the depths of my very soul. Stepping over to me, she ran her fingers through her hair. Something was troubling her but I wasn't so sure as to what. Figuring now probably wasn't the best time, I smiled and gently grasped her hand. Giving it a reassuring squeeze, I nodded to my door.

"Come on, let's grab something to eat."

Silently, she followed, hands deep in her pockets.

* * *

 **Spring break has started! Whoop whoop. Not doing shit except going home. Going to cuddle with my PMSing dog, lose hours of sleep to video games (#TheDivisionBruhCheckItOut) and writing for your beautiful faces! So here's a long overdue chapter for this story and I'll have another one for you real soon!**


	7. Subtleties

**See! I promised I'd have one real soon! Two chapters because I really wanted to post something special for you guys. So here you go. Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.**

* * *

 **Chapter 7: Subtleties**

In the short time that I'd known her, I was slowly starting to piece together the puzzle that was Sakura.

Every day I seemed to learn something new about her. About her life and why she was the way she was. Fall break was over and we were back in school. I was done with classes for the day and had decided to visit Sakura during her tutoring hours.

Added to the list of things I'd discovered about Sakura, the most current was that she actually knew a lot about psychology. It was strange considering it wasn't the average course you'd see someone excel in but of course Sakura was just that talented. She had allowed me to sit off to the side as students trickled in and out of one of the study rooms in hopes to not crash and burn on the upcoming test next week.

However, there was something I noticed in particular while sitting alone in the corner, pretending to be drawn into my own textbook.

And that was how popular Sakura seemed to be with many of the female students in my class.

I already had some notion as to Sakura's personal preference having figured for myself that she and Rin were a couple. And after hearing about her relationship with Ayame in the past, it was even more obvious.

I didn't know what it was about it but watching these girls come in and feign ignorance (though it may have been true), just for attention was almost too much to ignore. Even now, some girl had managed to request Sakura's assistance privately for a fifteen minute review session. They sat side by side, Sakura reading something out of the textbook while the girl dreamily watched her and pretended to listen.

"But…Sakura, I don't understand the difference between these two," she whined, so pitifully I almost laughed. Sakura simply sighed and reached over and scribbled down on the paper. "Classical conditioning vs. Operant conditioning. They're honestly not too hard to remember Hana."

I could tell by her tone that she too was becoming frustrated. Having to repeat the same material over and over for several hours a day must be exhausting. Then you have girls like Hana who were only making it worse.

I mean, really. Who was she fooling?

No way in hell was she going to pass that test.

Those were some of the most basic terms we'd gone over and though I had some trouble, I at least knew that much. But Sakura was dedicated to her job. She'd help and make sure that they were as prepared as possible.

But my God was this fucking annoying to watch.

She tucked a strand of dark brown behind her ear, moving closer so that her shoulder was basically touching Sakura's. "Wait…okay so… classical conditioning is like you reward them for good behaviors and punish them for the bad ones right?" My God. Was she that desperate for attention or was she really this fucking stupid!

Sakura leaned back in her chair, fingers weaving through her hair. "No…that's operant conditioning. Maybe we should call it a day, I already let you stay longer than usual because you were my last appointment today."

Good. Fucking go be dumb somewhere else.

But I'd receive no such solace. Next I knew, Hana's fingers were brushing along Sakura's arm before resting at her neck. Lip poking out she whined, "I'm sorry Sakura. I'll get it after a few more _sessions_ I'm sure." The way the word rolled off her tongue made me nearly gag upon hearing it.

It earned a disapproving look from Sakura as well as she narrowed her eyes. But apparently Hana was just that bold. Her fingers slipped to Sakura's waist, stepping forward as she whispered something into her ear. Pulling away, I watched her wink seductively and grab her bags as she left looking nothing short of pleased with herself.

"Desperate much?" I couldn't help but bite out, annoyance practically dripping from my tongue.

Slumping into her chair and closing her eyes, Sakura mumbled, "I don't pay it any mind and neither should you. She's just looking for attention but she won't find it from me." Her eyes opened slowly as she began dropping things into her backpack. Throwing it over one shoulder, she waited for me to pack up as well before we exited the library and out into the chilly afternoon air.

Crisp leaves, hues of oranges, reds and browns crunched under our feet as we crossed the huge lawn and made our way to the parking lot. Question prickling at my mind, I found myself asking her innocently, "Why don't you give into her?"

Thrown off by my question, she stopped, turning around slowly. Brow arched and cheeks red from the cold, she asked, "What is that supposed to mean?" I shook my head, nervously biting my lip to avoid saying something else stupid. I didn't want to offend her, I was simply toying with curiosity and the she had the answers to play around with.

I asked my question again, wording it slightly different in hopes she'd understand.

Catching on, she nodded, resuming her pace to where our cars were parked. "Well, to put it simply Ino, I'm not interested in them. Rin's my girlfriend and she's enough of a handful on her own. I couldn't imagine trying to add someone else into that already brewing shit storm. On top of that, I'm a firm believer in not mixing business with pleasure. Never ends well. And lastly, as I'm sure you were well aware of, they aren't the brightest girls in the bunch."

"That's putting it mildly," I grumbled, earning a smirk from Sakura as she threw her bag into the backseat of her car. Hands in the pockets of her university hoodie, she leaned against her car patiently. "So," she started, hands slipping in her pockets, "What's on your mind?"

I tossed my own things into the front seat, zipping my jacket up the rest of the way. I stumbled at her question, lips parted before closing entirely. "What do you mean?"

She shrugged, fishing out a cigarette from her pocket. Placing it between her lips, she mumbled, "You look like you're thinking about something." I found my focus wavering from her question, instead being focused on the lighter she was bringing to her cupped hands. Before I could stop myself, I caught her wrist, tugging it gently.

"You shouldn't smoke those Sakura, they're bad for you," I informed her with a disapproving scowl.

Brows scrunching, she lowered her hand and placed it at her side. "I'm aware of that. It's not like I go through several packs a day. Hell not even in a week Ino," she tried to assure me but her words provided little comfort. I was no fool, I knew how these things ended.

A few years back I'd lost and uncle on my mother's side to lung cancer. That's probably what made me want to become a doctor. Hoping that I could get through to people and encourage them to make better decisions about their lives. If not for themselves, than for the people around them.

The longer I held Sakura's wrist, I could feel how warm her skin was despite how cold it was around us. I didn't want to let go but I figured I probably should minimize the amount of physical contact I used with her.

"Sorry," I mumbled, dropping my hand, "You don't have to."

"Forget it."

I looked up to see her shoving it back into the carton in her pocket before tossing the entire thing into the car. Feeling slight guilty, I whined, "You didn't have to. I was just being dumb." She shook her head, blinking at me slowly with a bored expression, "I had one earlier today anyway. Probably should just save it for another time."

Biting my lip, I pushed down the happy little voice telling me that she was doing it for me. I felt bad but at the same time, her health was far more important.

"Thanks," I tossed, offering a small smile as gratitude.

Her eyes held mine briefly before tearing away to the left, "Don't mention it." Happy little hum passing my lips, I pondered over what to do today. I lucked out of having to go to my one class tomorrow what with the professor having assigned a retake of the last test. Surprisingly, I was one of the lucky few who had passed leaving me with hours of free time.

"What do you have going on tonight?

I was sure that the question had come from Sakura but from the way she avoided my gaze, simply watching the cars pass by, I had almost doubted it. Figuring I'd answer anyway, I sighed and leaned against my car door, "Nothing really. Don't have class tomorrow. Might just order take out and watch a movie or two."

Nodding, she pushed off of her car, opening her door before settling inside.

Odd. What had brought on such a question? The fact that she hadn't responded and was already preparing to leave was a little suspicious as well. "Did you want to do something Sakura?" I asked, unable to help the small tug of my lips into a grin as I watched her shift.

"Doesn't matter, I'll catch you later," she huffed, quickly trying to end the conversation. But I wouldn't allow it. Not when I was getting to watch the ever stoic Sakura fidget at something as small as this. "Well, I don't _have_ to do anything else tonight. I wouldn't mind hanging out in all honesty," I finished the last part with a bigger smile now present on my face.

Her frown was more amusing than intimidating, forcing a bubbly laugh from my throat. Groaning, she finally admitted, "Naruto is coming over and so are a few more of my friend. Was going to see if you wanted to come hang. You don't have to, doesn't matter."

Hearing her start up her car, I began to panic. "Hey wait a sec," I pleaded, hand wrapping around her wrist again. "I wouldn't mind coming over actually. Text me your address?" She nodded, ripping her eyes away from mine, slipping further into her seat. "Yeah." Giving her hand one last squeeze, I smiled and pulled back, "Thanks Sakura."

And as she pulled off, mumbling something under her breath, I couldn't help but notice the small traces of pink on her cheeks.

* * *

"Ino's here!" Naruto announced to rest of Sakura's impressively large apartment. And I do mean _impressively_ large. I was pulled inside, arms wrapping around my waist as I was hoisted into the air. Blowing my hair from my face, I laughed warmly, swatting his arm, "Alright put me down. It's nice to see you again too Naruto."

He carefully lowered me to the ground, eyeing the case of beer and bottles of wine I had tucked away in my bag. "And she brought drinks!" He screeched, snatching my wrist and pulling me along through the place.

There was way more space than I expected. The living area was spacious enough so that the large number of guests who had shown up still had plenty of places to sit. I had to admit that having so many people here, especially with them being strangers made me a little nervous. I had honestly hoped it would've just been me, Sakura and Naruto. That way I had nothing to worry about.

My anxiety must've been radiating off of me in waves because Naruto is pulling me through the kitchen where a group of girls and another guy were standing around taking shots at the bar counter top in Sakura's kitchen.

"Yo," Naruto called over to them, "Where's Sakura?"

They boy with darkish hair, whom I couldn't help back stare at shamelessly, shrugged casually. "I think I saw her with that chick she's been fucking with. Probably on the balcony," he tossed offhandedly. A girl with soft brown hair, pulled into a messy bun elbowed him with a glare, "Hey, be nice! Just cause we hate her guts doesn't mean we should bash her behind her back. Right Temari?"

The girl whom I presumed to be Temari nodded, "Right. We should bash her in front of her face."

The group was silent for a moment before they burst into a fit of laughter. Naruto too joined in before gripping my shoulder, "Alright guys. Anyway, this is Ino. She's friends with Sakura and invited me to her parents' house for food so she's cool in my book." Turning to me with a smile, he nudged me forward, "Hang here with them for a bit. I'll go let Sakura know you're here."

I nodded dumbly, watching him disappear upstairs. Instantly, my panic set it.

I didn't know these people but with the way they spoke, I could tell they were close friends of Sakura's. They couldn't be all bad. Forcing my nerves down, I managed a soft smile, "Ino. Nice to meet you guys." The girl, whose name I recalled to be Temari spoke first, "What's up? Never seen Haruno bring you around before. You two fucking or something?"

I blushed instantly, voice staggering as I tried to think of something sensible to say.

The other girl just rolled her eyes and shoved Temari before walking over to my side. "Sorry about her, she can come off kinda strong. That's Temari, I'm Tenten and that's Sasuke. But honestly, are you sleeping with Sakura?" I shook my head, the impossible to miss hue of red still staining my cheeks. "No…no we're just friends."

The guy, now known to be Sasuke, poured a shot of vodka, holding it out to me, "No offense, but you don't really seem like her type." I gratefully took it, avoiding everyone's penetrating stares as I threw it back. The feel of it burning my throat was refreshing and I instantly craved another.

Seemingly impressed, Sasuke grinned and poured me another. "What even _is_ Sakura's type?" Tenten mumbled, flashing me grin and offering to take my own bag of drinks. Temari scoffed, leaning against the counter, "Anything with a pair of breasts and ass that will inevitably piss us off."

"I'm right here," a voice that I recognized well sounded to my right as Sakura came down the stairs, "You gotta problem then take it up with me."

Naruto was trailing after her, frown on his lips. I wondered what could possibly be troubling him so much to the point where he wasn't smiling until I heard a long series of complaints and curses. "Did you not see that we were fucking busy?! It could've waited!" Rin screamed after him, snatching him back by the shoulder when he continued to ignore her.

"You weren't doing shit but standing there bitching her out like you always do! Everyone is trying to have a good time and your toxic ass is ruining it," Naruto huffed before brushing past me to grab a drink, "Sakura. Get your girl man cause I'm sick of her shit."

Had I missed something?

Literally all of what I assumed to be Sakura's closest friends hated Rin and I wasn't too sure why. She seemed fine enough when I met her but people were usually acting different the first time you met them.

"Guys not now—"

"You all are just jealous because she spends more time with me than your lame asses," Rin spat smugly, sauntering up to Sakura who looked like she was on the verge of going off. Temari, who looked equally annoyed took a step forward, sitting down her drink on the counter.

"Now let me explain something to you _sweetheart_ ," Temari slowly began, eyes dark and heavy frown on her lips, "No one, not even your precious girlfriend, wants your ass here. You drive all of us insane, especially her and we all know you're only with her cause you're a gold-digging bitch who's using Sakura to get shit you wouldn't have been able to afford otherwise. Now correct me if I'm wrong."

The room went silent, eerily so and I knew that it was probably for the best. Though while I had the sense to keep my mouth shut, Temari was past the point of caring.

She took a long hard swig of her drink and stepped closer until the two of them were practically chest to chest. "Nah, don't get quiet now. Your ass has so much to say any other time. Speak the fuck up."

"Everyone chill the fuck out!" Sakura hissed, hand clenching around the bottle she'd been clutching until it shattered in her hand. I panicked, seeing the blood pouring out of parts of her hand. I wanted to rush over but Rin beat me to it. To my greater surprise, she pushed her away and returned upstairs.

Sasuke was the first to break the silence, "Well…that shit escalated quickly." Nervously, I took a step towards the stairs before deciding to go up all together. It wasn't hard to find Sakura. I simply followed the mumbling curses and running water to the open bathroom. Peeking my head in, I saw her standing there looking equally frustrated as she winced and snatched pieces of glass out of her hand.

I caught her wrist which shocked her I suppose. "Here, let me. You pull them out too roughly you could make it worse," I told her, examining her hand. She didn't reply, simply letting me work as I grabbed a hold of a pair of tweezers in the drawer.

"It's going to hurt."

"Just do it Ino," she sighed, looking slightly past me.

I nodded, slowly prying bits from her hand. She winced at some of the smaller ones and would hiss and try to snatch her hand back when I pulled out deeper and larger pieces. Eventually, I managed to clean her hand and wrap it tight with an old cloth she'd given me. I would've preferred gauze but I suppose this would have to do.

She didn't speak to me afterwards but when she hopped off the counter and made her way to her room, she motioned for me to follow. I did so, allowing her to shut the door behind me. I found my eyes rolling around her room, eyes scanning and observing every small detail. It was nice, I had to admit, it instantly made me feel conscious of my lame old apartment.

I didn't mope over it too long because Sakura was moving out onto her balcony which was surprisingly in her room. I saw her dig around into her pocket and already knowing what was to come, I grabbed her arm quickly.

"Sakura…don't," I ordered but her dark eyes and hard frown made me regret saying anything.

She sighed, moving to run her fingers through her hair. "Fuck man…I don't want to deal with this shit right now," she groaned. Obviously torn as to how to finish her night, she collapsed onto her bed. With a smile, I sat down beside her, hands folded neatly in my lap.

"Well," I began carefully, "You've got plenty of friends here to enjoy your night with. Even though things were a little tense before, a few drinks could help you end it right." She scoffed, closing her eyes as she folded her arms behind her head.

Biting my lip, I nervously coaxed my hand onto her arm. "Sakura…I came over because…I really wanted to hang out with you again and it'll be hard to do that if you're up here the whole time," I admitted, having regretted saying anything. What made it worse?

The way Sakura's eyes were now intently focused on mine as she sat up.

Looking away, I mumbled about how stupid I was being, already making a move to leave. But this time, I was Sakura who was stopping me. Her hand was warm, and incredibly soft. "Stay here," she ordered, slipping out of her room. She wasn't gone long, and returned with what I recognized as the bag I had brought over with my drinks. Closing her door, I was surprised to see her lock it as well as she spread everything out on her bed.

Unsure as to what was happening, I asked, "Sakura…what's this about?"

"I'm sick of everyone else right now Ino. You're the only person here right now who's not pissing me off. So we're going to spend the night the way both of us expected. Drinking together, just the two of us," she mumbled, cracking open two beers and handing one to me.

Taking it from her slowly, I picked at the bottle. Mouth going dry, I licked my lips and breathed out softly, "Is this what you want Sakura?" Pulling her bottle from her lips, she smoothly laced her fingers with my own and pulled me towards her.

I sat in front of her, leaning back carefully as she pulled me into her chest. Hand wrapping around my waist, she nodded into my shoulder. "Only if you want Ino," she mumbled, "Only if you want."

Figuring I had nothing else to lose and admitting to myself that it was in fact what I wanted, I said yes. I remember little else about what happened after that.

* * *

 **Ending it here for the sake of the next chapter. Hope you all enjoyed. See you in the next chapters! Also for my gamer fans, The Division drops tomorrow! You know where I'll be! ;)**


	8. Close Call

_**So I'm pretty salty right now. Why you ask? Oh nothing. Just that this chapter was originally 2/3 of the way done. What happens? It vanishes. Just like my hopes and dreams. Sigh. Hopefully it comes out okay anyway.**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 8: Close Call**_

"Have a good night miss."

Smile on my lips, I voiced my thanks to the security guard at the front desk of the library. Several hours of studying later, I was finally heading home. I had one more midterm to take for some godforsaken chemistry class and I needed all the study time I could get. I'm pretty sure I'd come in around seven and the fact that I was just leaving at one in the morning said a lot about how desperate I was to pass.

But despite feeling about as prepared as I could manage, I was exhausted. A nice hot bath and my bed sounded like the perfect ending to a stressful day.

Making my way outside, I cursed myself for not having enough since to bring a jacket. My thin university shirt did little to halt the chill racing along my spine. I needed to get to my car before I froze to death. Tugging my bag into my side, I made the short journey to the parking lot.

Thankfully the street lights were on so it didn't make the trip too bad. But I wouldn't dare to put my earbuds in at this hour. That would leave me far too vulnerable and if I wasn't careful of my surroundings, things could go bad.

But I didn't have to worry. I was here and completely intact.

Elevator in my sights, I made my way over, pressing the button only to have the immediate pleasure of it opening immediately. But just when I thought I was in the clear, a voice screamed and nearly scared several years out of me.

"Hey! Hold the elevator for a sec," A boy screamed after me.

My eyes flashed from his panicked brown ones to the already glowing button to take me to the fifth floor. And for a moment…I contemplated leaving him. Surely he could just take the stairs or wait for the next one, right?

But I pondered over my decision for too long. For in the time it took me to decide to let it close on its own, his foot slipped in between the door as it opened and he slid in beside me. It was at that moment that I realized the unnatural amount of shitty luck I was gifted with.

I didn't speak and hadn't planned to until he decided to strike up a conversation.

"Long night huh?" He asked, easy grin pulling as he tugged his backpack up on his shoulder. Nervously, I nodded and looked away. _Oh God, please stop talking._ I was nervous enough as it was and I really didn't want to be pulled into a conversation with a stranger. Thankfully, the door slid open and I all but rushed to my car.

The second I was inside, I locked my doors and pulled out my phone. I already knew long before I began typing out my message that I was going to text Sakura. Because somehow in the short time we'd gotten to know each other, I knew when my anxiety got the best of me, she'd always be there.

Drawing in a breath, I chanced a quick look at my rearview mirror and I swear my heart stopped in my chest for a second.

Aimlessly walking around right behind my car was the boy from the elevator. His eyes were buried into his phone but he would ever so often carefully glance in my direction. The manner in which he was pacing around made me far too nervous to want to stay around and question it. Just in time, my phone sprang to life with a text from Sakura.

 _You good? What's up?_

I'm simply repeated that I needed her to meet me in the parking lot of the Target just a few minutes from campus. A few seconds passed and I had my answer.

 _Alright…be there in 10._

A sigh of relief passed through me as I quickly started up my car and whipped from the deck as quick as I could. I didn't know what the hell he was looking around for but I surely didn't want to stick around and find out either.

I turned on my radio, slipping further into my seat as I approached a light. Christ it was far too late for this. I just wanted to sleep and here I was nearly ready to piss myself because of something so small. Teeth sinking into my lip, I cursed as I felt my body begin to tremble. But it didn't stop there. My chest tightened painfully and next I knew I was gasping for breath.

"Fuck…not now. Of all times," I struggled to breath, foot slamming on the gas when the car behind me began to grow impatient.

I made it to the parking lot in the next minute or so, swerving into some random spot as I waited. I wasn't in the clear just yet. It was stupid of me to forget my medication and on today of all days. It had been so long since I had an attack that I had been chancing it a lot recently by not bringing it with me. And here I was falling apart because of it.

Another strangled curse escaped from my lips as I slammed my head against the steering wheel. Tears stinging my eyes I could only hope that Sakura would be here soon before I completely lost it.

As if the heavens had heard my desperate prayers, a car pulled up beside me.

Tears falling mercilessly, I all but scrambled from my car. Rushing over blindly, I latched on immediately, gasping and heaving as if I'd just stopped drowning. But I hadn't and I never would, not for as long as I lived.

For now though, I could pretend. Pretend like I wasn't steadily falling apart with the help of the one person who could make me calm without lifting a finger. And yet…the longer I sobbed into her, the more I realized that something was off.

I expected my fingers to be tangled in her hair but instead they met the soft fabric of a loose t-shirt. Where I had almost been sure to feel a chest pressed against my own, it was completely flat. Nervously, I pulled back as slow as I could, eyes tilting upwards to see just who I was clinging to. And then, like some sort of bad joke…there stood…

The very boy I'd been running from.

"That was one hell of a greeting," he chuckled sheepishly, hand scratching the back of his neck as he grinned my way. But I was far from flattered. I was still completely panicking but it seemed like it was mostly on the inside. On the outside? I was frozen. I couldn't even gather enough strength to breathe.

I could only watch in horror as he stepped closer, lips pulling and revealing his perfect teeth. Extending his hand towards me and with the most polite voice he had, he introduced himself, "Kiba. Sorry for spooking ya. Might I have your name?"

I blinked, eyes gazing at his large hand that was patiently waiting for my smaller one to return the greeting.

But I only stepped back, gasping when I felt my body collide with my car. Frown pulling, he dropped his hand as he took another step forward. Instantly, I screamed for him to stop. His eyes darted around nervously as if someone was around to hear us. Watching as the panic rushed to his face, he slammed his hand over my mouth, eyes narrowing as he ordered me to keep quiet.

Sweat racing down my face, I struggled a bit, nails digging into his arms as I tried to free myself. Next I know? His other hand is locked around my throat as he hisses at me, "Easy girl, lighten up."

Thinking quickly, I bit his hand that covered my mouth and brought my knee up between his legs. Seeing him go down, I turned to run, only to crash into the person I'd been waiting for. Glaring past me with her fists already trembling, was none other than Sakura.

A soft whine caught her attention as her eyes softened immediately when she looked at me. Nodding towards my car, she mumbled quietly, "Get your stuff, I'm taking you home." I began to move, only to pause but before I could ask my question, she answered, "We'll come back for your car in the morning."

I wasted no time in following her instructions. I quickly unlocked my car, grabbing my bag and such before slipping into her car.

Meanwhile, she made quick work of Kiba who was now pressed against his own car with a hand locked around his throat. I couldn't make out what she was saying to him and quite frankly, I didn't care. I just wanted to be out of this place and away from him as soon as possible.

I didn't wait long, the sound of the driver side door slamming shut announcing her return. She swerved from the lot without saying a single word. I was still trying to calm myself down but I knew that the longer I stayed like this, the harder it would get. Without thinking much of it, in the midst of my gasping breaths, I felt around for Sakura's hand and instantly laced our fingers together.

She glanced over at me the second she felt the contact. The only indication I needed to know that she understood was the steady acceleration of her car and the fact that we arrived at my apartment only a minute or two later.

She turned off her car, nodding for me to go up as she grabbed my things. Hastily, I rushed to my door, fumbling around with the key before pushing it open but instead of making a grab for my pills, I made a pit stop at the bathroom, falling to my knees and emptying my stomach into the toilet. Once. Twice. And even a third.

My entire body felt like it was on fire as my fingers clawed painfully at the rim of the seat before managing to flush it down.

Stumbling out of the bathroom, hand clutching the wall, I saw Sakura causally toss my things onto the couch before wrapping her arm around my waist and tugging my arm over her shoulder. "Let's get you in bed. You look like shit." Despite my disgusting state, I managing to smile as she helped me into bed. Sitting on the edge, she placed her hand on my head and drew it back a few seconds later. "You don't feel warm, what's with you."

I could only shake my head, rolling over onto my side as I watched her carefully. I didn't want her to know, to think I was crazy like everyone else did. "I was just scared," I partially lied.

She hummed to herself, dragging her fingers through her hair as she stood and walked over to flick my light off. Giving me a final blank stare, she mumbled, "Well then…I should head home. You're all good right?" Narrowing my eyes slightly, I studied her tone which seemed a little mocking. Or perhaps I was a tad more tired than I originally thought.

Nonetheless, I knew I'd have a hard time trying to coax myself to sleep in this state. I felt like if she left me alone longer than a second, I'd crack.

So as I watched her step one foot outside my door, I worked up just enough courage to convince her to stop.

She did, hands wedged in her hoodie pockets as she threw me a look over her shoulder. I couldn't tell if she was annoyed or what but the look she gave me made me immediately regret opening my mouth. Lips tight, she mumbled, "What is it?" With nothing else to lose at this point other than my dignity, I asked her to stay.

Again, more regrets.

Her eyes held my own in such a way that made me lose the very breath I was trying to hold onto. She blinked a few times, fully turning to see if I was serious. And I was. The sudden urge to be beside her was stronger than I anticipated. Lips parting to answer, she was interrupted by the blaring ring of her phone. Slowly, she tore her eyes away from me for a second and slipped her phone from her pocket before smoothly placing it at her ear.

"What do you need?" She mumbled, clearly not in the mood to talk to whoever was on the other end.

Not wanting to be nosy, I took the time to occupy myself with my own phone. Though I don't know why I even bothered. No one would be hitting me up anytime soon. Friends from high school were pretty much nonexistent at this point and my one college friend had been taken from me just a short while ago.

But I did have Sakura. The person who had miraculously saved my life and had earned my unwavering loyalty and trust.

A sigh from said girl forced my eyes from my phone as I watched her run her hand through her hair. Giving me one finally glance, she nodded, "Alright, I'll stay. But you better be knocked out within the next ten minutes. It's late enough as is."

Barely able to contain my excitement, I nodded quickly, tugging my sheets over the lower half of my face to hide my smile.

Shutting my door, she kicked off her shoes by my door and collapsed on the other side of my bed a second later. Arm draped over her eyes and yawn sounding from her lips made me feel insanely guilty. Nervously chewing my lips, I rolled over and tapped at her shoulder, "Did I wake you up?"

Never moving her hand, she only sighed and settled further into my bed, "No. And so what if you did?"

Frowning at her answer, I mumbled back, "Because I would've felt bad for waking you up just because of something stupid." She scoffed which came as a bit of a shock. Finally lowering her arm, I was able to see her just a bit more clearly. Her brow was furrowed and her eyes were narrowed at the ceiling. The arm that once lay across her face now hung limply over her abdomen as her fist clenched and opening in a repeating motion.

I shyly called her name, propping myself up on my elbow to get a better look.

Finally, she faced me and with a stern voice, questioned, "Would you have rathered me not answer at all?"

The no that left my lips a second later took no thought whatsoever. I was grateful that she had shown up when she did. God knows what could've happened if she hadn't. Pulling my eyes away for just a second, I added, "I appreciate it Sakura, I really do. I just...just hate seeming like such a burden to everyone."

"I don't think you're a burden Ino. Hell, far from it," she quickly countered, frown still present, "But you don't need to worry about me. I can handle myself just fine."

Slightly hurt, though I wasn't quite sure why, I nodded and rolled back over. Turning off my light, I mumbled a weak 'goodnight' and shut my eyes as tight as I could manage. I just needed a few hours of sleep to clear my mind, everything else could come later. But before I could completely shut the world away, a careful voice whispered through the darkness, "Don't worry about me Ino. Just...know that if you need me, at any time, I'll be there."

A tortured smile worked its way onto my lips as I fought the urge to tear up at her words. So simple and promising. Hearing them from her felt so real. Unlike any other time I'd heard such words before. I never expect a stranger of all people to make me feel so secure. But she did and I could only hope she was telling the truth.

So for now, even if it was all a complete lie, I wanted to believe her.

Reaching behind me, I felt for her hand, tugging it gently to my waist. It was cool but I didn't dare pull away. I could feel her hesitation but I needed this and I was going to make sure that I got what I desperately craved. Looking over my shoulder, eyes reflecting what I couldn't say, I pulled again.

Then, almost as if she was afraid to touch me, she shifted closer and gently wisped her fingers across my waist and rested them on my nervous stomach. Nearly satisfied, I pressed my back into her chest and carefully laced my fingers with hers. No other words were exchanged, not that any were ever needed to begin with.

And the second I felt her nose rub gently across my back in a silent confirmation that she too was ready, I closed my eyes and didn't bother opening them again until the very last second I was scrambling to get ready for class.

* * *

Friday night came sooner than I had expected but I wasn't the least bit disappointed. That was because, for the first time, in what felt like forever, I had plans to go out. And not like another little kickback or some little casual trip to the movies.

I was going out out.

Tenten had hit me up the morning after Sakura had stayed over and had excitedly pitched the question as to whether or not I wanted to hit up some old club that was supposedly really legit. Apparently they had closed it down for renovations and were celebrating their grand reopening with a really big party. And honestly, with no other plans, I had agreed.

It probably wouldn't make sense to people who didn't really know me very well. Probably the reason why I was such great friends with Ayame.

I suffer from very severe anxiety attacks from time to time and it's not exactly something I'm proud of. At the same time, I'm not exactly ashamed of it either. In my eyes, nothing is wrong with me. I live a completely normal life with two loving parents and an annoying yet lovable younger brother. I've got a decent job, solid grades, my own car and an apartment. So aside from the small setbacks that usually result from my _episodes_ I was pretty happy.

My only real issue came with making friends.

I liked people generally speaking but sometimes communicating with them is hard. I trip over works, sweat profusely and turn ten times more awkward than I already am. Sometimes even the smallest of things send me into panic mode which is why I've been working on a few methods to control it. It was during said methods that I finally found one that worked.

Ironically enough, going to a place filled with strangers made me feel so at ease.

I believe that it had something to do with the fact that, in such a place, no one knew me. I could be whoever I wanted. I could pretend to be the overly confident girl who gets all the guys that everyone believed me to be. I could throw back drinks with the guys and join a random clique of gossiping girls who I'd never see again.

So I had said yes. I agreed to go out with her and the gang and enjoy the night being someone other than plain old Ino Yamanaka. So yeah, I was pretty damn excited.

So I was here, lights low with the TV on just low enough while I finished getting myself together. Tenten had texted me a short while ago saying that everyone would come to my place and pregame before we all headed out. Of course we'd be walking to the club considering it was closer to my place than I thought, not to mention we'd all probably be too trashed to drive back. I made sure to pull out all the extra blankets and pillows I had, already telling myself that there's no way I'd let them crash anywhere other than my place.

Suddenly, my phone rang.

I quickly pulled it against my ear, quickly mumbling to Tenten that I was opening the door now.

"First off, pull the phone away from your big head. Second, who's Tenten?" Halting in my steps, I pulled the phone away only to see my brother scowling at me. Giggling at the fact I had realized he'd been FaceTiming me, I used the camera to touch up my hair before beginning to answer his question.

"Sorry, my bad...and Tenten is one of my friends. We're going out tonight with some of the others," I told him calmly as I made my way to the bathroom. Setting my phone down, I rummaged through my drawer for my favorite lipstick, applying just enough to make sure I didn't look like Ronald McDonald's trashy daughter or something.

He scoffed, fumbling around with something I was too busy to see. "Who are they? I've never heard of any of 'em." Satisfied, I went to the door when I heard a knock, giggling as I was engulfed into a hug by Tenten. "Well," I began once I remembered I was on the phone, "You met Sakura and Naruto. More friends of theirs so they're cool. Go on and said hi."

Turning the camera to the small posse I had behind me, I grinned as everyone nodded and waved to my brother who did the same in return.

I stepped aside, allowing them inside as Naruto held up some drinks and sent a wink my way. Smile on my lips, I closed the door and returned my attention to Tai who was still looking unenthused. Before I could get another word out, Tenten snatched my phone and happily squealed, "Hey baby bro! We're getting little miss Ino completely trashed tonight so don't wait up! We'll take good care of her!"

"Yeah but who's gonna take care of you?" Temari chuckled, earning laughs from everyone, myself and Tai included. Taking my phone back swiftly before she could cause any more trouble, I quickly rushed out, "Yeah that's her. Anyways, we're going to get the pregame started and head out. I'll call you tomorrow?"

Rolling his eyes, he nodded, "Alright Ino. Be safe, if you forget, at least have a friend text me so I know you're home?"

I nodded in return, smile broadening as I blew him a kiss, "Will do little brother, tell Mom and Dad hi for me. Love you! Later!"

Setting my phone on the counter, I peeked my head over Temari's shoulder, eyes widening at the bottles lined up on my counter. Smugly, she pulled out a red solo cup and nodded at the prizes before me. "What'll it be Princess?" And I'm pretty sure my mouth had gone completely dry at this point. Then, without missing a beat, my eyes trailed up to Sakura's who'd be sitting on my couch, phone in hand as she texted whomever.

"Something hard," I whispered carefully, biting my lip and turning away the second I saw her eyes hit mine.

But it seemed I wasn't quick enough. Temari had caught the trace of pink lining my cheeks and with a knowing glance at Sakura, she smirked and nodded, "Coming right up." I wasn't sure why I bothered to look at her. It didn't mean anything, nothing important anyway. But the voice that slipped between us had my heart racing when I felt Sakura's lips near my ear.

"Make that two," she blankly told Temari as she slipped her phone into the back pocket of her jeans.

Temari chuckled, forcing me out of my nervous daze. "Sure you wanna play this game tonight Haruno? That shit gets dangerous after a while," she smirked, sliding me my cup which I took quickly, bringing it to my lips as I took a long swig. Sakura took hers, taking an even long gulp than my own before sliding it back towards Temari. Turning back to me, she nodded and smoothly answered, "I'll take my chances. After all, I've never lost before and I don't plan on starting tonight."

She took her cup again, this time walking away as she made her way outside, tugging her phone from her pocket. The second she left, I released the breath I didn't realize I'd been holding.

Next I know, a hand is on my waist as I turned around only to be greeted by Sasuke. "Looks like she's going to have a good time tonight. Works out cause if our almighty leader isn't feeling it then we'd be having a shitty night," he mentioned, meanwhile throwing back the shot in his hand. Naruto made his way over, beer in hand as he grinned, "Better keep your eyes on her tonight Ino."

Arching my brow, I dumbly asked what he meant.

Tenten who was already slurring at this point pushed Sasuke away as she pulled me into a hug from behind, "He's sayinn...that you'd better keep Sak on a short leash. She'll be pullin 'em tonight. Ya feel me?" Frowning at her comment, I asked, "What does that have to do with me?"

But before I could get an actual answer, Temari stepped in. "Nothing, I'll have my eye on her. I won't drink much so you all can enjoy yourselves. I'm used to being babysitter."

And just like that, it was all put aside.

Naturally, my more curious side wanted to know exactly what they meant but deep down, I had a feeling I'd see for myself. A few drinks later and I was starting to feel amazing. I was excited. It had been a while and now that I was out, I was curious to see just who'd become tonight.

* * *

 _ **Chapter. Finished. It felt good to write again. Honestly. I need to write more though, this won't satisfy me. I need moreeee. Anyways, decent or nah? Let me know how ya feeling. Alsoooo, my bestie westie livin in the westie just had a birthday yesterdayyy. They grow up fast. So don't forget to tell the precious little Shycadet a Happy Belated Day of Birth. It's lit fam. Kat, Out. *drops mic***_


	9. Just for the Night

_**Ah yes, sweet sweet updates. Actually typing on my phone because I am far too lazy to go upstairs and get my laptop. Btw, charger took a shit, thankfully my big bro has one but funny story, I ordered the wrong one on Amazon and now I'm fucked. ^^ Anyways, let's get this party started, yeah?**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 9: Just for the Night**_

"Are you psyched yet? Or are you _psyched_ yet?" Tenten's death grip on my shoulder only spoke volumes about how intense this place was.

Granted I wasn't the tallest of the bunch but the fact that I couldn't even see the floor indicated just how popular this club was. Neon lights, swayed and flashed and the fog machine only added to its scenic character. Everywhere couples were shamelessly grinding on one another and off in the distance, the DJ could be seen, encouraging the crowd with his fingers expertly spinning and half of his headphones to his ear.

It was just the type of environment I had predicted, but better.

No doubt there was a bar somewhere in the midst of the chaos and there I'd find a drink with my name yet funded by another. I was eager to see if I still had it in me. I was no doubt rusty after I lost my partner in crime but a drink or two would be more than enough to set me in the right direction.

Starting for the bar already, I was shocked to find a hand pulling me in the opposite direction. I turned to see Temari flashing me an apologetic grin before nodding to some vacant corner. I followed, albeit reluctantly, brow arched as I mumbled, "What's up?"

Rubbing at her neck, she sighed and gave me a serious look. Not wanting to lose the buzz I already had, I teased, "What's wrong, want a dance?"

A slow blink before she chuckled at my casual attempt to break the mood. "Nah, I'm afraid I'm not quite tipsy enough for that babe. I'll definitely hold you to it though. Maybe another night when I'm not playing babysitter. Anyway, I just figured I'd give you the run down since you don't usually tag along with us."

"Go on," I assured, impressed by how seriously Temari took her role.

She nodded, eyes scanning past me briefly, "Sasuke told me he won't be drinking too much either so that means you, Tenten, the idiot and Haruno can drink your little hearts out. He'll be able to help me get at least two of you home in case someone goes overboard. Hate to go all mom mode on you but just to be safe, don't sit down a drink and if you do, I'm sure you'll have no trouble getting a new one, free of charge."

I blushed, taking heed of her compliment that I was in fact pretty enough to get my drinks covered.

"Also, if you need to go to the bathroom or you're tired, come find me. A buddy hooks me up with the VIP section that way you're not too overwhelmed while aimlessly wandering around. And last but definitely not least, be wary of Sakura tonight," she finished up, blueish-green eyes finally finding my own.

Stumped by her last comment, I frowned and proceeded to ask her what she meant before she gripped my shoulder and leaned in, "That's my ride-or-die. Love the kid to death but she can be a bit of a handful when she's been drinking. As if she didn't already have enough of the ladies falling at her feet when she's sober, imagine the flock when she's just as _in the mood_ as they are. I'm just saying, don't let her sweet talk you into anything. I've been told she's very persuasive. Anyway, enjoy yourself, I'll be scoping from the VIP."

With that she was gone and I was trapped in the sea of people who were also looking for a good time. Though her words may have caused me to question a few things, I was far more focused on getting a drink in my hands.

A club was no place to be timid. Manners were forgotten as people forcefully shoved their way through to the bar. Finally reaching the counter, I was surprised to find a spare chair in the center with my name on it.

 _Alright Ino, let's see if you've still got it._

Tossing my hair over my shoulder, I smiled sensually at the bartender who flashed me a smooth grin in return. "What'll it be, sweetheart?"

"Whiskey, on the rocks," I stated, eyelashes fluttering once or twice as my smile lingered. It was fake, I knew that, but to any of the guys desperate enough, it was more than inviting. The young man claiming the empty space between my chair and the next was the perfect indication of that.

I pretended not to notice him initially, instead mouthing a thanks with a wink for good measure to the bartender. Sipping my drink, I felt the heat instantly run through me. Someone give this guy a medal. It wasn't exactly hard to create a drink so simple but when you've been clear of alcohol for a while, the first drink tasted nothing short of heavenly.

"No way a man with a lady as gorgeous as yourself would let you into a dump like this," the man to my right exclaimed.

Lips twitching into a smirk, I swirled my drink taking a sip before I faced him. And I had to admit, the guy was actually pretty damn hot.

But I had a goal to achieve and getting caught up in the charms of some pompous pretty boy wouldn't help me out any. However, the longer my eyes roamed, the more entranced I became. He stood about 6'3", short golden brown hair was styled perfectly without a single hair out of place. Eyes a captivating forest green, I dropped my gaze to his strong chin, facial hair trimmed neatly giving him a professional look.

Even his outfit made him that much more handsome. Fitted grey blazer with a simple thin, white v-neck underneath. A gold chain hung from his neck and dark blue skinny jeans covered the lower part of his body.

"Like what you see?" He chuckled, perfectly white teeth flashing as he signaled for his own drink.

Choosing not to answer his last question, I shrugged, managing a sincere smile, "I thought I'd ditch my nonexistent boyfriend for the night in favor of _nicer_ company." I scowled inwardly, noticing that my drink was already disappearing on me. I needed to work my magic fast if I had any hopes of getting a strong enough buzz tonight.

"Oh?" He said with an arched brow, grin never leaving his lips, "Well if that nonexistent boyfriend of yours doesn't mind, I'd love to show you a good time Miss…"

"Ino," I smoothly slipped in.

"Stunning," he replied just as smoothly.

Oh this guy was definitely making all the right moves. But unfortunately enough, perhaps for the both of us, I had no intentions of hooking up tonight. Finishing up my drink, I tucked my hair behind my ear, curiously asking, "And might I have the name of my companion for the evening?"

Lips pulling into a full smile, he licked his lips and leaned closer, "Only if you'll let me buy you another drink, Miss Ino."

Unable to help myself, I leaned in as well, eyes promising more than I intended to give, I nodded. "Well then, Miss Ino. Let me formerly introduce myself, Clyde at your service." Grinning at the name, I took a sip from the drink that was placed before me, already telling myself that I knew I'd found myself a keeper for the night.

"So," he paused, lifting his glass and holding it out to my own, "At the risk of embarrassing myself even further, how'd you like to be my Bonnie for the night Miss Ino? We'll get into all sorts of mischief no doubt." Eyes already foggy from the buzz steadily building inside of me, I knew my answer long before it passed my lips.

Gently tapping my glass with his, completely aware of the hand on my thigh, I leaned in until I was right by his ear, "Well… _Clyde_. Keep the drinks coming and I'll be whoever you want me to be."

In a split second, his eyes flashed playfully, promising things that forced heat right between my legs, and without missing a beat, leaned into my ear and whispered, "I was hoping you'd say that."

* * *

He had definitely kept up his end of the bargain.

I knew my limit and after about four or five drinks, I was on cloud nine. Lucky for him, I'd had enough to drink to keep up my end as well. At some point in the night, he had asked for a dance and with a little bit of liquid courage, I earnestly agreed.

So that brought us to the now.

Here we were, out on the floor, his hands guiding my waist as I pressed against him leaving little to the imagination. I mean hell, I was in far too good of a mood to feel the least bit guilty about the way I was grinding into him.

And with the words that were all but cascading from his lips, about how badly he wanted me and the feel of him when I moved just right, it was safe to say, there were no complaints on either of our ends.

But alas, all good things must come to an end.

As the music faded, I changed my own rhythm, favoring something slower as I caught my breath. I instantly felt lips at my neck, tugging gently as Clyde whispered, "Ino…you're killing me here." Lips twitching into a smirk, I skillfully ran my fingers through his hair, grinning inwardly at the soft groan that followed.

Innocently, I asked, "Whatever do you mean?"

In a split second, his fingers had slipped under my top, teasing my stomach as his lips moved to my exposed shoulder. With the drinks turning up the sensation to an easy ten, I gasped, gripping his neck hard as he savagely broke skin. When I whined again, he pulled away only to catch my lips as he turned me to face him.

I broke contact first, needing to catch my breath before he stole any more from me. Cheeks flushed, I smiled and caught his hands and playfully teased, "Alright Sir Clyde, this has been great but I really should be getting back to my friends now. I'm sure they're wondering where I am by now." But he didn't seem the least bit bothered by that. "Let them wait," he mumbled into my neck.

Rolling my eyes, I looked over his shoulder, hoping to spot at least one familiar face to come to my rescue. But in the endless wave of people constantly moving about it was near impossible.

Or so I thought.

Sure enough, pushing his way through the crowd with a silly grin on his face was none other than Naruto. I pulled away slowly, stepping into his arms as he pulled me into a hug. "There you are, I've been lookin everywhere for you babe." I could see the game he was playing, quickly catching on as I titled my head slightly and wrapped my arms around his neck.

"I thought you said you didn't have a boyfriend," Clyde mumbled, eyes hard as he stared Naruto down.

Naruto played along well, chuckling as he pulled at my waist, "Just when I fuck up. She runs around like she's single but we both know she can't stay away from me for too long." I grinned sheepishly, giving Clyde a half smile, "Sorry?"

He was far from amused. I'm sure he had hoped for more but my cover had been blown but I'd gotten what I wanted, as shallow as it seemed.

He shook his head, mumbling his grief as he stalked off.

I turned to Naruto, holding his eyes before we both burst into a fit of laughter. Grinning widely, he asked, "Don't tell me you make a habit of this?" I only shrugged innocently, following his tugs through the crowd. "Only when the opportunity presents itself," I laughed softly, glad to finally be able to breathe again.

However, in that brief moment, Temari's words came flooding back to me. About Sakura and her player attitude that came out to play.

It was hard, imagining such a thing from her. She always seemed so calm and collected. I remember when she turned down Hana's advances that night and she mentioned that it was because she knew she had a girlfriend. In that moment, I began to wonder.

Was she just like me?

Was a party setting the only place she felt that she could be herself? I'm sure if she had been following my own behavior for the night, she'd have a few questions herself. Suddenly, I wanted to find her. Tapping Naruto's shoulder to gain his attention for a second, I asked, "Have you seen Sakura?"

A girl pushed up on his side, throwing him off for a second. Wrapping his arm around her waist, he nodded at me, "I saw her literally a minute before I caught you. Throwing back shots with some redhead by the bar."

He saw my scowl and quickly started with damage control. "Some random chick. Doubt she'll be around before the nights over," he shrugged before the impatient brunette tugged him away.

The bar was my only lead it seemed but it was probably the best hint I could've gotten. Figuring I'd make it easier on myself, I decided to walk the length of the club rather than pushing my way through the center. It took a bit longer but it was worth it. Sakura proved difficult to find but the second an over exaggerated laugh caught my ear, I knew where to look.

At the farthest end of the bar, with a drink in one hand and an eager redhead in her lap, was none other than Sakura.

She laughed at whatever hilarious thing Sakura had whispered to her before leaning in for a quick kiss. Rolling my eyes, I managed the best fake smile that I could and tapped Sakura's shoulder, "There you are, I've been looking everywhere for you." Her eyes, in the midst of her drunken high, managed to find my own.

She blinked, and slowly tugged her drink to her lips, "What do you need Ino? I'm kinda busy."

Busy? I wouldn't exactly call tounging down a stranger busy. Not wanting to come off as rude just yet, I focused my eyes on the girl with red hair who looked slightly annoyed. In a friendly voice, I introduced myself, "Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt. I'm Ino."

"Ariana," she replied, lips pressed into a tight line.

Looks like I was already on her bad side. Thinking of a way to get Sakura alone so I could speak with her, I lied, "Sorry to cut the fun short but Temari is looking for us." Unfazed, Sakura threw back her drink and sighed, "Can't you see what she wants Ino? I'm a little occupied."

Christ she was even more stubborn when she was drunk but I wasn't about to give up so easily.

Flagging down my next drink, I smiled and shook my head, "Mm, I'm afraid not. Besides, I hear your girlfriend is lurking around here somewhere. Forget about her?" The look of disbelief on her face at my sudden comment and the rage flashing in Ariana's eyes was priceless.

"Girlfriend?" Ariana asked, already rising from Sakura's lap.

She made a grab at her hand before shooting me a warning glare, "She's just fucking around. Isn't that right _Ino?_ " I laughed, taking a long swig of my drink, thankful for its ability to stop me from giving a fuck about ruining her time. "Whatever you say Sak," I tossed, smiling at the next gentleman who sat beside me.

It only took the resonating sound of hand-to-face contact that I realized my plan had worked. Before I could mooch another drink from the man beside me, I was being snatched up by the arm and dragged to the bathroom. The door quickly locked behind me before I knew I was pressed against it with my hands above my head.

"Do you think this is funny," she snapped, eyes hard.

Honestly, I found this whole thing to be quite amusing. I glanced at her cheek that was flashing a bright red, no doubt still stinging painfully. "Kind of? I wanted to talk to you but you were too busy forcing your tongue down her throat so I had to figure something out," I admitted, not the least bit guilty.

"Besides," I continued, "Last I checked you _do_ have a girlfriend. You shouldn't be flirting with anything willing." The hands around my wrists tightened and with a step forward, she spat, "Oh? Should I just continue to let my loyal girlfriend hop from every frat boy's dick on campus while I behave myself and pretend not to notice?"

Wait what? I had no clue that Rin had been cheating on her. Granted it wasn't any of my business but it still came as a shock.

Stumped, I swallowed nervously and asked, "Why don't you leave her then Sakura? You don't deserve to—"

"Because I fucking can't!" She all but yelled at me, teeth grinding together. _Why can't you?_ That's what I wanted to ask but yet the words died in my throat knowing that it was still none of my business. But I was a curious soul and I wanted to know this secret lurking between Sakura and Rin that everyone seemed to know but me.

When I didn't respond, her hands released my own as she mumbled a silent apology. "Sorry…I think…I think I need a smoke."

I brought my hand up to stop her but she fixed me with a look that kept me in place. "Sorry Ino but I'm not letting you stop me tonight. Thinking about her puts a sour ass taste in my mouth. I'll be outside, come or don't…I don't care."

With that she left me alone in the bathroom and I didn't see her again until we were finally leaving the club some several hours later.

* * *

"Thanks Ino, for letting us all crash here," Temari voiced her gratitude from the couch that doubled as a pull-out bed.

We'd all made it home safe, a little drunk, but safe nonetheless.

Tenten occupied the couch-bed with Temari and I had an old blow up mattress that was more than enough room for Naruto and Sasuke who were both passed out already. Sakura was already fast asleep in my bed and that simply left Temari and I to exchange a few words before sleep claimed us as well.

Smile on my lips, I settled the remote on the coffee table and flicked off the lights to the living room. "No problem. Sorry it's kinda cramped, don't have much company. I'd rather have you all here than everyone scrambling to get home drunk."

Shaking her head, she mumbled, "Trust me sweetheart, I've been in tighter spaces. This is perfect. I'll have everyone out of your hair in the morning."

Biting my lip, I stumbled forward, "No rush. I expect there to be plenty of hangovers, I can make breakfast or—"

"I'll pay for breakfast, we'll go to IHOP or something. You've done more than enough. Besides, you look like you'll collapse any minute now yourself. Get some rest, alright?" She finished with a stern look I could just barely make out through the darkness.

Bidding her a goodnight, I retreated back to my room, shutting it but leaving it unlocked in case someone needed me for some reason.

I peeked at myself in the mirror, surprised at how still managed to look as perfect as when I left. However, I was still in my attire from before and sleeping in a skirt and tight ass shirt wasn't how I wanted to spend the night. Tugging my shirt over my head and slipping my skirt down my thighs, I let out a sigh of relief.

Finally, I could relax.

It was warmer than usual, even without much on. I started to grab a loose fitting shirt but a tired voice stopped me instead. "Are you coming to bed or what?" A tired Sakura mumbled from my bed, sitting up as she rubbed at her eyes.

I blushed, one for having been caught basically naked and two for watching the sheets fall and expose her toned stomach and the tattoos that covered her entire left arm.

It'd been forever since I'd last seen them and they were just as stunning as I remembered.

Chewing on my lip, I made another grab for my shirt before she mumbled softly, "Leave it, Ino. You won't need it." I felt a little uneasy but complied nonetheless. Stumbling over, I had to grab my bed to catch myself but Sakura's hand caught me first. Her burning green eyes were intense as they guided me into bed with her.

When I finally tugged the sheets over my shoulder, I felt her hands tugging at my waist. They were cold and I instantly locked her wandering fingers with my own. "Why are you freezing?" I asked worriedly, pressing my back into her. Her next few words made my heart stop for all of a second.

"Because I was waiting for you to warm me up," she slipped smoothly.

I knew that I probably shouldn't have but I couldn't stop myself from chancing a look at her. She lay there, eyes watching me to see what I'd do. But I was still coming to terms with what she'd just said. Surely she couldn't be serious, could she?

Swallowing nervously, I called her name. She only asked again, this time with her hands already tugging back the sheets, "Are you going to warm me up or not, Ino?"

Perhaps I hadn't quite flushed all of the alcohol out of my system yet. Maybe the last drink I has was still sitting with me as I followed her orders. That was the only possible explanation as to why I was now straddling her waist with her hands squeezing my hips.

"I don't think we should—"

"I think that you're wrong," she quickly shut me down, "Thing is, Blondie, only one of us can be right." The scowl from the nickname came almost like second nature. It had been forever since she last called me that and I wasn't about to let her start it up again.

Lip poking out in a mock pout, I grumbled, "Don't call me that."

Smirk on her lips, she reached up and grabbed some of my hair, thumb brushing over it slowly, "Does the name not fit?" I knocked her hand away, no longer embarrassed by our position. "I'd prefer Ino, thanks." I bit coldly, brows furrowed at her ability to agitate me in only a matter of minutes.

"Well then… _Ino_ ," she paused, I'm thinking you owe me for the loss you cause me tonight.

I knew I'd regret asking but I was nothing, if not a curious person. "Owe you what, Sakura?" By the time her name had parted my lips, her hands were forcing me to gently rock into her. The second I did, I forced my nails into her side but instead of stopping her, she only dragged me harder into her. I whined as she sat up, lips teasing my ear as she breathed my name in a way that forced a chill up my very spine.

So this is what Temari has meant. How persuasive and dangerous she became when she wanted her way.

"Ino…you—"

"You need to stop Sakura. Temari already warned me about how you get," I whispered as she chuckled against my ear. "Tch, so she's even more of a cockblock than I thought." When I realized that she wasn't going to stop, I resorted to shooting below the belt.

"Sakura seriously, how is this any different than what Rin is doing to you?"

She stopped immediately, hands releasing me as she pulled away. The second I was free, I moved from my place on top of her and laid back down, this time facing her. Wanting to make her understand, I sighed and added, "Listen, it just isn't fair of you to bash her for not being the perfect girlfriend when you're no better than she is. You're just as bad as she is."

"I'm not," she quickly countered, laying back down and glaring at the ceiling.

Rolling my eyes, I played along, "Of course not. Please tell me then, how are you any different?"

Eyes softening, she turned to face me and in that moment, I felt like I could see it all. Voice soft, she whispered just loud enough for me to hear, "We're different because…I never pretended to be perfect. I was shit from the very beginning and I'll be shit till it's all over."

Strangely enough, I felt like she wasn't just talking about her relationship with Rin.

* * *

 _ **Is it over? Can I rest now? Finally man. Granted I've only been writing this for two days but it feels like forever. Any who, read, review, make me some stew and all that jazz. See you all in the next chapter for whatever comes next! *cough cough TC cough* .**_


	10. One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

_**Long time no see! Sorry I've been so bad at this. I really do want to write but I swear it's so hard. I'll write some and if it all doesn't flow smoothly, I'll scrap it over and over until I'm satisfied. Even then it's hit and miss. So thanks for bearing with me!**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 10: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back**_

"Hellooo...earth to Ino," Tenten screeched, waving her hand in front of my face.

Snapping out of my daydreaming state, I blinked slowly trying to piece together what was happening. We were at the mall, all of us having finished classes about an hour ago. If I remembered correctly, it was Naruto who pitched the idea, saying I looked like I needed to get out a bit.

After much pestering, it would seem I had agreed.

However, it wasn't the same. Not without Sakura here. A few short weeks of knowing her and I already couldn't fathom not having her around. But after the other nights events, we hadn't so much as spoken to each other. I wasn't sure why and though my curious persona wanted answers, I figured I was in no position to be demanding them.

"Sorry...sorry my bad. I spaced out," I quickly rushed out, focusing all of my attention on Tenten's question.

Sigh falling from her lips, she sat back in her seat, pout on her lips. "I was saying," she began teasingly before switching to a more serious tone, "That you didn't have to hang with us today if you didn't want to. You seem pretty out of it. We can call it a day and you can get home and rest." Shock quickly spread across my face as I looked around at everyone else who was flashing me these pitiful looks.

Had I really been so out of it to the point where it seemed like something was wrong with me? Here they were, wanting to have a good time and I was ruining it with my Negative Nancy attitude.

Feeling insanely guilty and not wanting to be the reason for everyone else to have a shitty night, I forced a smile and laughed it off. "Guys I'm fine, really. We don't have to leave, just keep getting lost in my thoughts is all," I told them, adding another laugh for good measure. I couldn't tell if they were buying it or not but the prolonged silence had made me believe that they in fact didn't buy my story at all.

"Christ...so Haruno has been ditching you too huh," Temari grumbled, raising her eyes to mine slowly. Naturally I would've tossed some lie in my defense but one look at her made me realize that there was no point.

Completely embarrassed, I nodded.

Before I knew it, the whole table was erupting into conversation.

Temari quickly shut down the side conversation, eyes focusing on me once again. "Listen Ino, first of all there's something you need to know about Sakura. I say this in the most honest way that only a best friend can...she's an asshole." No laugh parted my lips because I could tell she was very much serious right about now.

She didn't stop there, sighing as she continued, "Seriously. So don't go thinking this is something you did. How do I know? We've been friends with the kid since freshman year and she brushes off from time to time too." Biting my lip, I took in the information, knowing that coming from Temari is was more than likely as true as it gets.

Curiosity getting the best of me, I asked shamelessly, "Why?"

Sasuke took it upon himself to answer this time around. "Well," he started slowly, fingers massaging his neck, "She has her moments. Sometimes she just needs space, other times it's something deeper. She doesn't share much but it's typically got something to do with her dad or the annoying beast that is her girlfriend."

More questions that were more than likely none of my business, nipped at my tongue until I couldn't hold them any longer, "It's not my place to ask but...what's the deal with her and her dad? And you guys...you don't seem to like Rin very much. Why is that?" Naruto laughed, easing some of my anxiety about breaching this dark territory, "Girl of many questions I see. Can't say I blame ya."

Tenten nodded, offering me a smile, "Well, I can easily answer the second question for you." Clearing her throat, she began, "Basically, if you weren't aware already, Sakura comes from money. A lot of it. Having a family involved in the law and politics, she's pretty much set."

Now this was news. Granted, Sakura did have a pretty solid apartment that made my _luxury_ one look like shit.

However, I never expected her to be _that_ wealthy. She dresses pretty average, not in a bad way. It was just common for most people who could afford high end brands to flash it whenever possible. But with Sakura it seemed she cared more for comfort than style. Nevertheless, she always pulled off any look that she had effortlessly.

Tenten continued after giving me a minute to absorb the information. "Now, unlike some of our nation's wealthy, Sakura's pretty damn smart. She knows that if more people knew, she'd been constantly fighting off people who only want her for her money. She's selective with the people she lets in but at the same time, she needs friends as well. It's a part of being human."

"You guys aren't with her for her money though," I admitted. None of them seem like the type.

Sasuke shrugged, "We could care less about the money in her bank account. We're all friends with the kid because she's a good person. An asshole but a good person all the same. We're her friends because we want to keep her that way and keep people from trying to take advantage of her."

I nodded, smile working its way onto my lips.

It made me incredibly happy to hear that she had such great friends. It made sense to keep people out until you knew that they were around because they genuinely liked you as a person.

Jumping back in, Tenten sighed, "Which is why we hate Rin. She's a golddigger, plain and simple Ino. Constantly hounding Sakura about buying her expensive shit she doesn't need. Why the hell should she buy her girlfriend a $250 bag when Sakura herself wears a $30 backpack to class?!"

Naruto jumped back in, grumbling lowly, "She doesn't care about Sakura at all. We're her friends so we're supposed to support her, I get it. But...I don't think that means we should let Rin treat her that way. I'm not sure how much she can take before the kid snaps officially but we'd hate to see it get ugly. She just needs to cut it off before shit bursts into flames, you feel me?"

I did. It now made so much sense.

Rin was obviously not good for Sakura's health. Sakura didn't seem like the type to take shit from anyone so the fact that she was putting up with this concerned me. Prompting yet another question, I asked, "What does she see in her?"

Temari answered this time, swift and blunt as I had expected, "Plain and simple. The girl is hot. Sakura isn't typically shallow but basically, fire with fire. Rin just wants her money, Sakura just fucks around with her."

That made me a little uneasy. Sakura wasn't really that type of person was she?

Squeezing my shoulder, Naruto grinned, "Which is why we're glad you're here!" Blinking slowly, I dumbly asked, "Huh? Why me?"

"So cute this one," Tenten laughed easily, "Because of two reasons sweetheart. One, you're fucking gorgeous and two, you didn't know Sakura was rolling in dough until today which means you're like us and you just like the kind of person that she is."

Simultaneous nods broke out around the table, meanwhile, my blush was impossible to hide.

Sasuke chuckled, adding a comment that only made it so much worse. "Relax, we're not trying to hook you two up. We're just saying that if we were allowed to pick for her, you'd be the best match possible for Sakura. Plus, we actually like having you around as opposed to the one we're stuck with for the time being."

I let the information soak in, trying to force down the blush as best as I could.

Despite what had happened the other night, I'm pretty sure that was just a result of the alcohol. No way Sakura liked me that much. I didn't even understand my own feelings towards her other than the fact that I liked having her around, _a lot._

"As for your last question," Temari began, cleaning up her tray of food, "That's something a bit heavier than this. You may need to go to the source yourself and ask. Warning you now though, Haruno isn't fond of her old man at all. You might end up getting your ass chewed out over that one."

I nodded, contemplating my decisions.

I wanted to talk to her but at the same time, was this the best conversation to have while doing it? Perhaps not. However, as we said our goodbyes and I made the trip home, I knew from the beginning as I changed directions that my curiosity would always get the best of me.

* * *

I smiled sheepishly, drenched from head to toe in rain as I stood on Sakura's doorstep.

Looking a little annoyed, as well as amused, she mumbled, "You know...it's common courtesy to call before showing up to someone's place." She made no move to let me in, simply standing in her doorway with a frown as she watched me shiver mercilessly.

"It's also common courtesy to let your friends know that you're okay. Especially when they haven't heard from you in almost two weeks," I countered, smile never wavering, "Now let me in because it's freezing out here." Shrugging and already making a move to shut the door, I quickly slid my foot in between it, earning a glare in return.

"I don't want water all over my floor Ino," she snapped.

"What do you want me to do? Take everything off outside first?" I snapped back.

Her curious arch of her brow had me blushing instantly as I turned on my heel to leave. "Get in here before I change my damn mind," she mumbled, stepping aside. I happily skipped inside, following her upstairs and into the bathroom. "Take a shower, I'll drop off some clothes for when you finish," she said without another word, leaving me to shower alone.

One thing that I absolutely loathed was using showers other than my own. It wasn't so much the cleanliness aspect but the fact that for whatever reason, no two showers seemed to operate the same.

Turn this one one way, another one the other way. God it was all so complicated. So after fooling around with the knobs for a bit, I finally got the temperature the way I wanted. Grabbing a cloth and figuring she wouldn't mind if I used her shower gel, I climbed in. The heated water was much needed after nearly shivering to death for like ten minutes.

The door creaked open and closed just as quickly. I peaked out, smiling at the little pile of clothes that were stacked on the sink. Upon further inspection, I saw that my wet clothes were missing. I'd be sure to thank her once I finished.

Stepping out, I quickly dried myself off. Slipping on the clothes Sakura gave me, I relished in how warm they were and how fresh they smelled. Pulling my hair into a messy soaked bun, I followed the sound of fumbling downstairs. The second my feet touched the last step, Sakura turned to face me, closing the closet door behind her, "You're clothes are in the wash. Might as well get comfy."

Smile appearing on my lips, I whispered, "Thank you, I appreciate it."

A grunt was her only answer. Before I could get another word out, an excited whine caught my attention. Looking behind me, I saw a small adorable ball of white fur in a fenced black play pen. Unable to contain my excitement, I walked over, crouching down as I brushed the top of his head.

"God," I breathed out softly, "He's so cute."

"I suppose you'll want to take him out then," she mumbled, plopping down on the couch and flipping the TV on, "Go on then." Squealing happily, I scooped him up and placed him on the floor. Having never got the chance to play with her dog, I was nothing short of elated.

He nipped and yipped playfully before running about. Sitting on the other couch, I grinned as he whined and barked at Sakura to pick him up. She only rolled her eyes, mumbling, "No because you're just going to jump down the second I put you up here. Go bother Ino." I full on laughed when he continued to bark, jumping and failing miserably with each attempt.

"Come on," I teased with a smile, "He's getting desperate. I'm afraid he'll hurt himself."

"Sucks," she remarked dryly.

"Sakura," I warned, earning a groan. She snatched him up, placing him on her back. Instantly, he got to work, tugging on the hood of her jacket. He dipped his paw down, slapping at her face before jumping down a few minutes later. "Like I said. Waste of time," Sakura grouchily mumbled before leaving the TV on some random movie.

I rolled my eyes, picking up Shiro when he made his way back over to me. Such a small thing, I wasn't surprised when he climbed into my lap before settling comfortably.

Moments of silence rolled on by before Sakura sighed out, "Why are you here Ino?"

Tugging my lip with my teeth, I ran my fingers through Shiro's silky fur. "I...wanted to ask you a question," I admitted. "Which would be," she asked, glancing over at me with an eyebrow raised. But unlike my conversation with the gang, I didn't think this one would be as easy. Especially after Temari mentioned how much she hated her father.  
But was it worth me getting the cold shoulder? Was it worth going weeks again before we'd hold another conversation?

Yet with her green eyes practically inviting me to ask what was on my mind, I couldn't resist. Drawing in a deep breath, I glared at my lap and asked, "Why don't you get along with your dad?"

Her eyes ripped away from the TV, widening before locking coldly with my own. My breath halted in my throat and I dropped my gaze again out of pure embarrassment. I shouldn't have fucking asked, I just knew it. Hearing her rise from the couch had me nearly ready to bolt out the door. I was up quickly, moving Shiro back on the couch as I took a step back.

She had me against the wall in an instant, eyes flashing with a rage I'd never seen. "Who've you been talking to," she asked slowly, teeth grinding together.

I shook my head, quickly rushing out an answer, "No one! I just-"

"Don't fucking play games Ino. _Who_ have you been talking to," she growled out, hands keeping me caged in.

"I swear," I managed to squeak out, "I was just concerned. I was thinking maybe something happened between you and your dad. I asked the gang of they knew but they told me to ask you myself. That's all." I pleaded, eyes scared. The proximity and sudden shift in her attitude was beginning to ignite panic. I shut my eyes, cursing when I could feel my heart race and my breath begin to stagger.

Not now...of all times. Not fucking now.

Before I could fall too deep into the darkness, I was freed. I slid to the floor, gasping for breath. I hadn't so much as blinked and yet next I know, she's mumbling an apology and shoving me a glass of water.

I quickly chugged it down, gasping for breath. A grumbling curse was all I heard before I was being hoisted up and settled onto the couch. However, the sudden warmth behind my back was something I hadn't expected along with the arms curling around my waist. "Relax Ino, I said I was sorry. Didn't mean to snap like that," she sighed.

Sure enough, I felt my body ease and breathing return to normal. Still a little shaky, I weakly whispered, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked."

Her fingers tightened around my waist, sigh wisping past her lips, "After the first night, I'm surprised you didn't ask a little sooner. You say shit around the wrong people and it comes back to blow up in your face. I just wanted to make sure that wasn't the case with you. Of course you're not like that, I don't know what I was thinking."

Shaking my head, I added, "No. You have a right to your privacy. You just wanted to be sure. If you don't want to talk about it, I'd understand."

She scoffed, drawing back one hand to run through her hair. Immediately it was sliding along my waist again, causing my heart to skip slightly.

After a while, she nodded against me, sighing as she thought of where to begin her story. Settling further against her, I got cozy, eyes watching the TV but my attention was only on her. "In case you hadn't noticed, my dad's a dick. He wasn't always that way though. Used to be your average family man. Had a decent job, married a beautiful woman and had two kids and a nice house."

"Two kids," I breathed, not meaning to interrupt.

She nodded, stopping me before I could ask questions, "We'll get there." I nodded, apologizing softly for interrupting.

Taking a moment, she regained her thoughts and continued, "I had an older brother. Tetsu. Five years older than me. We got along like your average brother and sister but at the end of the day, he was my closest friend. Really smart kid with his head on his shoulders. Dad's pride and joy as expected. However, I was his little girl. I looked up to him and he spoiled me immensely."

So it seemed things hadn't always been so hostile between the both of them. A little refreshing to hear but of course we were just getting started.

"Anyways," she started after a moment, "While he was spoiling me, he was super hard on Tetsu. He was always pushing him, to get good grades and be better than anyone else. Graduated top of his high school class and got into a really prestigious Ivy League school for college. Dad wanted him to be a lawyer which of course put a lot of strain on the kid. After he left for school though, he was so used to being on such a tight leash that he went all out during his freshman year. Parties, frats, girls, he was living the dream. Unfortunately, grades started to slip and dad got wind of it."

The buzzing of the washer snapped me out of my daze. She shifted behind me to get it but I quickly rose to my feet. Biting my lip, I stopped her, "Sit here, I'll do it."

Her eyes dropped from mine as she nodded. I quickly walked over to the closet I'd seen her at previously. Toying around for a few seconds, I figured how to work her dryer and tossed my clothes inside. I padded back over to her, surprised when she allowed me to return to the previous position between her legs. I settled comfortably, allowing her arms to wrap around me once more.

"Go on," I coaxed softly, taking her hands with my own as I brushed my thumbs against her skin slowly.

It took her a moment, I could tell, to gather herself because I could feel that the story was about to take an incredibly dark turn. "Dad found out and he was pissed. Beat him up pretty bad, saying he was a disgrace to the family and such. Said if he didn't get it together, he wasn't getting his inheritance and that it'd all go to me. So the kid tried, hard to get it back together. It was draining him and he was just falling apart. Before we knew it," she paused, hands trembling, "We got the call. He killed himself. Left a note saying he just couldn't do it anymore. Crushed my mom and me. But wouldn't you know, the bastard basically responsible said it was his own fault."

I bit the inside of my cheek, stifling the emotional pain with the physical. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Surely no parent was that cruel?

Despite the obvious pain she was dealing with, she continued. "It killed me Ino. I was battling with depression up until three years after he passed. Dad tried to do the same to me during that time but I wasn't my brother. I told myself I wouldn't go down like that. So I rebelled. Did my own shit and told him to fuck off. Anything under the sun I could think of to piss him off, I did. I hate him because had he not been such a controlling prick, I'd still have my brother. He hates me because I don't listen to him. I make my own money and do just fine without him. That won't change for anything."

With her story now at a close, I couldn't help but allow the tears to fall freely. She sighed, gripping my shoulder, "It's alright Ino, you don't need to worry about me. I'm fine."

I shook my head, rising only to turn around and pull her against me. Arms wrapping around her neck, I couldn't stop sobbing and apologizing. She sighed again, rubbing at my back as she whispered, "Come on Ino. Quit it, I hate when you do that. I'm fine I promise. Please quit with the tears already."

She pulled back, thumb brushing the remaining tears from my face. Finally calming down, I was able to focus on her again, with her eyes worriedly staring into my own.

Drawing her hand back slowly, she groaned and draped her arm over her eyes, "I've gotta stop putting myself into these situations." I blinked, using my hands to brace myself as I sat on her waist, "What do you mean? What situations?" She groaned again, mumbling just loud enough for me to hear, "I fucking hate watching you break down like that. It's frustrating."

A small grin worked its way onto my lips as I leaned down, "Do you hate watching me cry Sakura?"

She didn't answer, only rolling her eyes and looking away, cheeks just a little pink. I pulled back, frown pulling as a thought crossed my mind. Before I could stop myself, I found myself mumbling, "They were right...she doesn't deserve you."

I cursed myself the second I said it, our eyes locked as she mumbled, "What?"

I quickly shook my head, trying to escape when her hands kept me firmly in place. She asked again, frowning as she sat up, further decreasing the space between us. "Ino, what did you say?" I scowled, suddenly gaining a small boost of courage, "You're too good for her Sakura. Why are you with someone like that? You're far too amazing and kind and caring of a person for her when she only uses you."

"Ino," she sighed, "I have my reasons."

"Tell me," I commanded, feeling an unusual bout of anger rushing through me. "No," she replied simply, looking nothing short of amused with my newfound attitude. "Sakura you-"

"Are you jealous, Ino," she asked me. It came out so smooth and casual that I couldn't tell if she was teasing me or not. Quickly going on the defense, I rushed out, "No of course not!" She hummed softly before asking another question, one I should've been expecting, "Then why don't you think she deserves me?"

"I told you already," I huffed out, arms folding over my chest.

Her eyes burned playfully and I could tell she was enjoying getting me worked up. Then, as if I hadn't suffered enough, she threw a very unexpected question my way. "Do you think you're better suited for the job Ino? Do you think you're better than she is?"

And despite my naturally humble nature, I swallowed the lump in my throat and whispered, "Yes."

"You're going to have to prove it then Ino," she finished, pressing her forehead against my own and breath mingling with mine. This was it, I had willingly backed myself into this corner and though I knew I had other options, none seemed more tempting and satisfying than this.

So tugging my hair behind my ear, I leaned forward and enjoyed what was now the first of the soon to be many mistakes I would be making with her.

* * *

 _ **Let's end it there for the sake of my sleep. I actually like this chapter a bit, not my favorite but it's cool for now. I've finished a chapter for Taking Chances as well but I'm editing some parts. I'll have that up for you guys sometime later today. For now, good night/morning and I'll see you all very very soon. Promise this time. Kat loves her fans. 3**_


	11. Sour then Sweet

_**Okay so slight change of plans. Instead of updating other stories, I'll try on focusing on one at a time. Story of choice? This one of course. Been so busy these past few weeks so continue to bear with me.**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 11: Sour then Sweet**_

Finally. It was fucking Thanksgiving Break.

I could trade my hours of studying for hours of binge watching new episodes of my favorite shows on Netflix. Instead of buying out all the time, I could enjoy home cooked meals. And instead of putting actual effort into what I wore, I could wear sweats and a hoodie all day and no one would bat an eyelash.

Having finished my last exam before break, I had nothing but free time on my hands for a few hours. With the parents still at work and my brother at school, I could kill some time before heading home. My only problem now?

Actually figuring out what the hell I should do.

"Ino!" I heard my name called only to be swept up a second later into a strong pair of arms. Of course it had to be Naruto. Unable to help myself, I laughed softly and patted his shoulders. "Good to see you too. Now if you don't mind, we short people prefer to be close to the ground at all times," I teased playfully.

Carefully placing me down, he chuckled and ran his fingers through his messy blonde hair. Suddenly remembering something, he beamed and asked, "Well that's not nearly as ! Did you have anything going on today? The gang is going to happy hour at this one bar and it's got some sick deals for the holiday! You in?"

Funny how I'd never been to a single happy hour in my life. Granted, I hadn't been 21 for very long, but I should've gone to at least one by now. It felt like some sort of rite of passage that I hadn't quite passed yet and I wasn't about to turn down the opportunity now.

"Sure Naruto, that sounds great," I admitted truthfully.

He gave what I presumed to be some sort of victory screech before squeezing my shoulder. I was just about to ask when everyone would be heading over before I heard my name being called again. However, the voice was a little less familiar this time around. Glancing around, desperately trying to find the source, I was surprised to see a girl making her way towards me.

The name had escaped me for a moment as I tried to rack my mind for the name of the golden brown haired cousin of my late best friend. Soon enough, I managed to whisper her name softly, not wanting to be wrong loudly and thus making a fool of myself. "Reika?" I asked, grateful that I didn't fuck up when her smile and nod confirmed I had been correct.

"Long time no see, huh," she asked me, adjusting the backwards cap on her head.

Scanning over her outfit, I noticed how she seemed to take on a sort of tomboyish appearance. Not that it was a bad thing. From her flannel and tank covered chest down to her skinny jean covered legs, she pulled it off pretty damn well. However, it would seem I had been caught as she teased jokingly, "You know Ino, if you want a closer look, all you have to do is ask. I don't bite much."

Blushing nervously, I rushed out an apology but she only laughed it off and ensured me that she was only messing around.

Looking for a way to take the focus off of my embarrassment, I asked, "What's up? Did you need to talk to me?" Shaking her head, she turned to face Naruto, "I was just going to check in. Hadn't seen you since the funeral but I don't know, you seem pretty chill. I get why my cousin liked you so much. Maybe we could become pretty good friends too?"

It all came as a complete shock. I mean, we hadn't spoken at all since the funeral so all of this was rather...sudden? But before I could give her an answer, Naruto was stepping in for me, "Nah man, I don't think so."

Wait what? Confused, I moved to ask why only for Reika to speak up next.

"Oh? Is there any reason why Ino can't tell me no herself?" She asked smoothly, brow arched with a knowing smirk on her lips. Okay no seriously, what was going on? Was there some sort of joke I was missing or something? Did these two know each other somehow?

Clearing my throat, I decided to step back in, "Yeah, no I think that's fine. I don't see any reason why not." Reaching into my car, I quickly scribbled down my number on a scrap of paper and handed it over. "Here's my number...just text me so I know who it is," I instructed with a harmless smile. With a little salute, she backed away and turned to Naruto, "Oh, and tell your girl this Uzumaki. You can't claim something without a title. So she can loosen the leash a bit, ya feel me?"

With that last bit of advice, she was gone.

Curious as to what just happened, I made an attempt to question Naruto who only brushed it off as nothing. His mood switched rather quickly and as if it had never happened, he grinned widely and asked, "So...happy hour?"

* * *

"You're such a fucking lightweight," Sasuke hissed irritably with a very drunk Tenten on his back. It was safe to say that my first happy hour was a success and I wasn't even the one who had to be carried out of the bar.

I had just enough to drink and my wallet was happy that I didn't burn through most of my check on alcohol alone. After all, Christmas was right around the corner.

Despite me not being the most intoxicated of the group, I had more than my share and the steady movement of the world around me told me that it was probably best that I didn't drive back. "Easy there kiddo," Temari chuckled when I stumbled into her, "You need a ride home?" I shook my head, despite my previous reasoning as I excitedly said, "Nope! I'm good."

"I'll get her home," a voice offered from behind me, belonging to none other than Sakura who had surprisingly not taken so much as a single shot.

When asked why, her only answer was that she simply "wasn't in the mood". I left it alone, not wanting to interrogate her in front of everyone but I made a mental note to bring it up later. "Forever the knight in shining armor aren't you Haruno," Temari teased with a suggestive smirk, "However, no matter how charming you are, it's not going to be enough getting Ino in bed with you tonight."

Clearly not amused by the joke, Sakura mumbled annoyedly, "Piss off Temari, I'm not with it today. I'm taking her home and then I'm carrying my ass to bed."

Seriously, her attitude was worse than usual today. She seemed fine the last time we spoke in person, granted which was about a week and a half ago. Now she just seemed so...hostile. Perhaps it was the alcohol swirling about in my system that had pushed me to grab her arm and press my lips to her cheek before I flirtatiously asked, "What's the matter Sakura? Don't want me in your bed tonight?"

Laughter broke amongst everyone, myself included, except Sakura. She on the other hand looked like she was on the verge of snapping someone's neck.

So while everyone else continued to laugh and press even more at her buttons, I was feeling extremely guilty. Swallowing nervously, I reached for her arm again only for her to snatch it away. "Hey, come on, I was kidding Sakura. I didn't mean it-"

"I don't fucking care, I'm going home," she hissed, storming off around the corner to her car. Already planning to go after her, a warm hand on my wrist prevented me from taking another step. Once again, it was Naruto. Giving me a weak smile, his eyes never left mine as he mumbled, "You guys go ahead, I gotta talk to Ino. She seems fine enough to get home and if not, I'll take her or call an Uber or something."

They didn't move initially but eventually decided to go ahead and head out. I gave each of them a hug, wishing them a good break before they left. That just left Naruto and I.

Adjusting my purse, I blinked and asked curiously, "What's up? What did you need to tell me?"

Eyes low and jaw hard, he finally looked at me and muttered, "You need to stay away from Reika, Ino. The girl is bad news." Well that definitely wasn't the conversation I had expected to have. However, now that he mentioned it, I was a little shocked by his attitude towards her earlier which was out of the ordinary for him.

Before I could ask any of my own questions, he had started again, "I know you just met and she seems fine but that girl will have you in all sorts of trouble. I like you which is why I'm telling you now. Don't get mixed up with her."

I wasn't the type of person to form opinions based off of others, I always wanted to find out for myself what kind of person they were. "Naruto," I started carefully, "I see what you're trying to do and I appreciate it, really. But you can't ask me to do that. If things start to look bad, I'll just let her down and keep it moving. Okay?"

He sighed, fingers rubbing at his neck slowly. "Well if you won't take my word for it then you should know that she and Sakura are not fond of each other _at all_. The reason Sak is in such a pissy mood is because I told her about how Reika came up and spoke to you today."

Quickly losing my patience, I asked, "Is it a crime for her to want to be friends with me?"

"It might as well be Ino," he answered, defeat heavy in his tone, "But I'll drop it. If you value your relationship with Sakura, I'd suggest you stay away from her." Ruffling my hair, he mumbled that he'd catch me later and left me there alone. Just then, a text came in from none other than the girl we'd just been discussing.

I watched his back as he left, frown etching itself onto my lips before I responded and made my way to my own car. I still needed to get home home, with my parents and brother but I knew I had to make one quick stop before I did.

* * *

When the door opened up, I hadn't expected someone other than Sakura to be standing in front of me.

Clad in a jacket covering her upper body with an extremely short pair of shorts covering the lower half, stood none other than Rin. She tiredly rubbed at her eyes, yawn passing her lips as she muttered, "Oh hey, Ino right? What's up?"

Managing the fakest smile in the arsenal I possessed, I said, "Sorry. Didn't mean to wake you. I just needed to talk to Sakura about something but I haven't been able to get a hold of her." Blinking slowly as her eyes adjusted to the light, she paused for a moment before shifting to the side, "Oh, well she's here. She's laying down watching TV, go on in."

I smiled and offered my thanks as I stepped inside. Shutting the door behind me, she added, "I'll get out of your way. Actually about to head out and hit the road to head home for the break. You have any plans?" She asked genuinely.

Nodding, I told her, "Yeah, my parents are expecting me soon. Since it was on the way, I figured I'd stop by and check in." Smiling, she gave me a quick hug and encouraged me to sit before she disappeared upstairs.

I did, deciding to sit on the couch opposite of Sakura who was laying down with her eyes closed. Was she sleeping? If that was the case then the conversation could honestly wait until after break.

However, Rin came down shortly after, keys in hand as she glanced at me. Walking over, she rolled her eyes and giggled, "Sorry, she's just a little tired. I'm sure she can spare a few minutes, plus she has to tell me bye too." Crouching before her, Rin brushed back some of Sakura's hair and whispered, "Baby, you've got company and I gotta go. I'm running late enough as it is."

I saw her eyes open, glancing over at me for a moment before she sighed. Focusing back on Rin, she nodded and whispered back, "Get home safe." The second I saw Rin lean in, I ripped my eyes away. However, after a few seconds had passed I dared to look again, only to see their kiss still dragging on. Rolling my eyes, I got up and went to the bathroom, shutting the door behind me with a soft click.

I don't know why I just felt the need to leave all of a sudden. Or perhaps I did and just didn't want to admit it openly.

I heard the front door open and shut a moment later and then waited another minute before I finally came out. When I did, Sakura was locking the door, eyeing me warily as she asked, "So what do you want?"

Tugging my jacket over my head, I rested it on the back of the couch as I replied simply, "Answers."

"In regards to what," she asked, brushing past me to reclaim her position on the couch. I decided not to sit, instead moving to stand beside her, brow arched when she shot me a glare. Gauging her reaction every step of the way, I said slowly, "In regards to what it is you have against Reika."

The swift lock of her jaw and narrowing of her eyes only confirmed that this wasn't some petty argument. She legitimately did not like Reika and I was curious to figure out why. "That's none of your business," she mumbled, eyes closing as she pretending not to care. But as committed as she was to brushing me off, I was even more committed to getting my answers.

And I was more than willing to play dirty.

Taking off my shoes, I smoothly slipped one leg over her waist as I moved to sit on top of her. She didn't so much as open her eyes, let alone acknowledge that I was sitting on her. "Sakura," I breathed out, fingers teasing at the zipper of her jacket, "Talk to me."

She scoffed, though not the reaction I would've liked, was a reaction all the same. "I want to know what happened," I pleaded, gently tugging down her zipper, revealing a nearly bare upper body. "There's a difference between being genuinely curious Ino and being just plain nosey. Mind your business," she calmly replied.

Stubborn as hell she was. But I wasn't about to let this go. Boldly, I dipped my head down and ran my lips along her throat. Nipping gently, I whispered against her skin, "I fail to see how you having an issue with who I hang out with, isn't any of my business. Perhaps I'm wrong but-"

"Oh there's no perhaps, you are very much wrong," she smirked, using one hand to grip my throat lightly as she pushed me up. Eyes meeting my own, she lowered her hand to my waist and when she pulled, I instinctively grinded into her knee.

"You, aren't nearly as shy and innocent as you'd like everyone to believe Ino. And the sad reality of it is this. Your methods for getting answers from me is only going to end up with you on your back screaming my name until you can't scream anymore," she warned cooly, eyes flaring with all kinds of sinful promises. "Now," she began again, "If you're as bold as you truly seem to believe you are, by all means, keep trying for those answers of yours. By the time I'm done with you, you'll have forgotten the very reason you came here in the first place."

There was very little space between us and that only made it that much more intense. I leaned in only to pull back right when she made a move to capture my lips. I smirked at the annoyed look on her face, watching as she fought to keep her hands to herself.

As valid as her argument may have been, I had made some observations of my own.

So I slid my hands over her shoulders, slipping them around her neck before I dragged my hips forward. "You sound so sure, Haruno," I teased, smiling innocently when she mumbled, "Don't call me that." Arching my brow, I grinned, "Oh, don't like that?"

Teeth clenching as she eyed my lips, she leaned in this time, only for me to pull away again, "Quit fucking around Ino."

"You see Sakura, here's the problem with your theory. You think you have what it takes to leave me breathless but I'm the one who's got you here struggling to keep your hands to yourself so you can _attempt_ to prove me wrong," I smiled sweetly, finally brushing our lips together only for a second.

"You're toying with fire Ino, don't test me," she warned.

Clearly amused, I smoothly replied, "And yet here I am borderline freezing. Fire's need fuel Sakura and mine is the answers I'll inevitably get from you one way or the other. So what's your final answer, Haruno."

"Fuck off," she growled, hand tightening around my waist.

Smoothly climbing off of her, I shrugged. Slipping back into my jacket, I smiled and called over my shoulder, "Have a good break. I'll catch you later." Shutting the door behind me, I maintained by proud grin all the way home, greeting my parents and pushing Sakura to the back of my mind.

* * *

Thanksgiving came sooner than I expected. Not that I was complaining.

It was still early in the day but the unmistakable smell of food filling the house was a welcome guest. Heading downstairs, I found my mother sliding a pan into the oven, wiping sweat from her brow. Sensing my presence she smiled, "Oh, finally decided to crawl out of bed?"

"I smelled food," I admitted with a laugh, scratching the back of my leg with my foot.

Wiping off her hands, she laughed along with me, "Of course, I'm only enjoyable to be around when I'm feeding you kids." Rolling my eyes, I walked over and accepted the hug she gave me, "Love you too mom, it's good to be home."

"Well, we're always happy to have you home dear," she said before pulling out an empty pan, "Where's your brother?"

Before I could answer, I was hoisted up and being thrown over a shoulder. Blowing my hair from my face, I groaned, "I think I found him." Adjusting me on his shoulder, Tai chuckled, "Sorry mom, I have specific instructions from pops to retrieve his precious angel." He mocked with a fake gag, earning an elbow to the head from me.

Nonetheless, I allowed myself to be whisked downstairs to the man cave. Seconds later, I was being dropped onto my dad's lap.

"There you are," he grinned, placing a kiss on my cheek, "Was wondering when you were going to come down and see me."

I rolled my eyes, throwing my legs over his as I rested my head in Tai's lap, "I was making my rounds. You hardly even gave me a chance to speak to mom." He snorted, taking a long swig of his beer as he muttered, "Why bother? You and I both know I'm the favorite parent. Right?"

Shrugging, I grinned teasingly, "You're a close second."

"That's cold man," Tai chuckled, bumping fists with mine.

Grunting, he threw a pillow at me and made his way back upstairs leaving me and Tai alone watching TV. Rolling over so I could watch him, I asked, "What's new with you?" Glancing at me, he shrugged and returned his eyes to the TV, "Not much. School is lame and dad is still riding my ass about trying to find a job."

"What's taking you so long," I asked, curious as to why in fact he wasn't working yet.

"Practice keeps me hella busy sis. I don't think I have the time. I've been looking but I'm not nearly as pressed about it as he is," he finished, rubbing at his neck. I didn't like seeming my brother stress out. He definitely did way more than I did when I was in high school. I was proud of him for making it so far already, pretty soon, he'd be off to college as well.

Leaning further against him, I whispered, "Just keep doing what you're doing. You'll be fine. You keep playing like you're doing and you just might go pro. If you need money, don't hesitate to ask me." Rubbing my arm, he nodded, "Thanks sis. So what's your deal?"

Shaking my head, I admitted, "Nothing much. School is pretty lame now for me too. Work is the same, not much excitement happens at a coffee shop."

"I can only imagine," he scoffed with a small laugh for good measure, "What about that girl who helped you, Sakura. You still hanging with her?"

I nodded, realizing that I had actually forgotten to text her Happy Thanksgiving. "Yeah, I've gotten to meet a few more of her friends. They're all really nice. We all went out to happy hour before I came home Tuesday night.

"Oh yeah, sounds fun," he mentioned.

Nodding, I rose up, letting him know that I was going to make a phone call. Going up the stairs, I took my phone off of the charger and instantly called the familiar number. It rang for what seemed like forever before she finally answered.

"What is it," she asked, voice incredibly soft.

Curious, I managed to ask, "Are you sleeping?"

"I was...why'd you call," she repeated. "I just wanted to tell you Happy Thanksgiving," I admitted, chewing my lip and giving my dad an easy smile when he walked by my room. "Oh...thanks I guess," she mumbled, yawn passing her lips.

Not wanting to end the conversation just yet, I asked, "What are your plans for the day?" She was silent for a very very long time before she answered. Sighing, she dryly answered, "I'm going to sleep in and get working on this project." Confused, I asked, "Aren't you going to eat with your family or any of your friends?"

"No," was her only answer.

"Well then why don't you come-," but before I could finish my suggestion, she was cutting me off with another blunt "no". I called for her to wait but she only mumbled an apology and hung up soon after.

"Everything okay kiddo," my dad asked, drying off his hair with a towel before draping it around his neck. I nodded quickly, giving him a fake smile and ensured him that I'd be down soon. Shrugging, he left and I collapsed on my bed, thinking in my head how one person managed to drive me so crazy.

* * *

Once I was sure everyone in the house was asleep, I shrugged on a jacket and slipped on some shoes and carefully crept downstairs.

Snatching my keys and stopping by the fridge, I left the house in complete silence.

The drive was short, partly because it was nearing one in the morning and not many people were still out. Minus the shoppers getting ready to be first in line for all of the Black Friday deals that in my honest opinion, weren't worth getting trampled over.

While I was a firm believer in not pressing doorbells after a certain time, I didn't think her chances of hearing me knock were very high. Pressing the button, I stood outside regretting my simple choice in clothing. I mean, it was almost winter at this point and it was far too cold to be dressing for comfort rather than my own personal health.

Just when I thought she wouldn't show, she did.

Pen tucked behind her ear and a cup off coffee in her hands, Sakura looked nothing short of confused to see me. Nodding past her, she stepped aside and allowed me in. Before she could ask me what I was here for, I shoved a medium sized plastic bag in her hands. "Ino," she started, peeking into the bag, "What this about?"

"I brought you dinner," I said softly, tightening my jacket around my shivering frame. The amount of disbelief on her face was priceless as she sat the bag down on her counter. I urged her to open it with a smile as I sat down, "I didn't know what things you liked so I brought a bit of everything."

"Ino...I don't understand," she mumbled, fingers running through her hair.

Walking over, I grabbed a fork and handed it to her with a smile. "You refused my invitation and whether you wanted it or not, I was going to make sure you had a nice home cooked meal too." I waited for her to eat a bit, smiling when she did and seemed to thoroughly enjoy it.

"Thank you," she whispered softly.

A smile was my response, turning to face the door only for her to call me to stop. I did so, turning around slowly. Giving me a pleading look, she asked quietly, "Stay the night with me?"

She needn't have even bothered to ask, I knew immediately that my answer would always be yes.

* * *

 _ **Finally done. Sorry for the wait. College really is a bitch. This special chapter is for Shy because she's been hounding me about getting it done. Not all of us are blessed with the ability to update so quickly. I'm hoping she'll teach me her secrets? Here's a chapter for you guys though. Happy First Day of Fall! (Kat's favorite season! ^^)**_


	12. Resolve

_**I really wish I didn't have to go to school sometimes. The stress is something else I swear. However, getting a quality education is worth the thousands of dollars I'll have to pay back when I graduate…*sobs* Take this chapter while I go cry a little bit.**_

 _ **Disclaimer:**_ _**I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 12: Resolve**_

"Sakura...I gotta go," I whispered softly.

The tug of my waist was enough confirmation to know that she had heard me. I had woken up to a text from my mom and knowing her, if I didn't get home soon, she'd send the boys out looking for me. I didn't want to leave, finding Sakura's bed far too comfortable to want to abandon it so soon.

Fingers slipping under my shirt to rub at my waist, it was clear that Sakura wasn't ready for me to leave yet either.

"Stay," she pleaded, voice soft as a yawn slipped past her lips. Tempting as her offer may have been, I knew I didn't have a choice. Rolling over so we were face to face, I sighed and said, "I can't. My mom wants me home. It's bad enough I snuck out in the middle of the night while she was sleeping."

"It was for a good cause," she teased, earning a small laugh from me.

Rolling my eyes, I breathed out, "Despite my act of kindness last night, I don't think mom would appreciate if I spent all day in bed with you." Leaning in, she smoothly captured my lips, whispering against them, "She doesn't need to know the details. No one does."

Her last sentence forced me to pull away. Frown tugging on my lips, I mentioned, "Do you honestly think your girlfriend won't find out?" Pausing, she scowled, mood shot as she grumbled, "It's not any of her business what I do when she's not around Ino. You think she's turning down anyone who wants to fuck just because she's _taken_."

Throwing me off, I couldn't help but let her words sink in. However, no matter the case, I remembered the conversation we had that night while we lay together in my bed.

Sitting up completely, I asked, "What makes what we do behind her back more acceptable than what she's doing to you?"

She was silent, as I had expected. Question popping up in my mind, I asked, "Did you love Ayame?" Jaw tightening, she refused to answer. Sitting up slowly, she swung her legs around and simply sat there before muttering quietly, "I did." I ripped my eyes away from her, climbing out of bed as I slipped back into my sweatpants and rummaged around before finding my keys under the bed.

"That damned cousin of hers would've done anything to tear us apart," she bit through clenched teeth, forcing me to pause in my attempts to leave.

Was she finally answering my question? Finally going to tell me what I had almost begged to hear the other night?

Sitting on the edge of the bed, I asked softly, "What did she do Sakura?"

"More like what _didn't_ she do," Sakura scoffed, fingers running through her hair as she fought to stay calm. "I fucked up once, I'll admit. Got trashed and slept with some girl behind Ayame's back. Reika found out because apparently the chick was some friend of hers and she went and told her. I had to beg and plead for her to give me another chance even though I knew I didn't deserve it."

I grimaced hearing her story. Trashed or not, it seemed like she had a really bad habit of sleeping around when she was in a relationship. Biting my lip, I hesitantly whispered, "You should've known better. You wouldn't have done that if you really cared about her Sakura."

"I never admitted to being perfect Ino. I was also trashed so I remember very little. Just remember waking up next to some girl," she finished swiftly. "Regardless, Ayame took me back and I swear I hadn't so much as thought about another girl. It was just her. I wouldn't go out anywhere unless she went too, just to be sure. Shit was golden but fucking Reika wouldn't let it go. Time after fucking time, she'd bring that shit up. Ayame stood up for me but after a while I guess Rei just kept filling her head with more and more nonsense. Before I knew it, we were done."

Hands massaging her face, she mumbled through cupped hands, "And literally every relationship after that has been a misfire because she tries to sabotage everything. So you wanna know the real reason I don't care what I do behind her back?"

Nervously, I nodded and asked the million dollar question, "Why?"

"Because, what my precious girlfriend doesn't know, is that I am well aware of the fact that she's slept with my worst enemy, behind my back twice already," she hissed coldly. Standing from the bed, she faced me and reached down to grip my chin softly, "I don't want her talking to you because I know what game she's playing. She knows that you and I are close enough and while she doesn't know what goes on behind my doors I'm sure she has her suspicions. I can't force you to do anything Ino but don't let her make a fool out of you, you're smarter than that."

Unable to say anything else, I nodded and rose from my seat on the bed.

Gripping my waist, she backed me against the wall slowly. The proximity was making me lightheaded as she stared me down lips only centimeters from my own. I made the move first but she pulled away, lips instead making their initial assault on my neck. Lacing our fingers together, she smoothly pinned my hands above my head.

She pulled away just before she could truly begin, taking in my flushed and bothered state as a smirk twitched onto her lips. "One of these days Ino," she paused, leaning in to kiss me slowly, dragging my bottom lip gently, "I'm going to show you how bad I want you."

Perhaps it was just the desire building between my legs that had me asking, "Why not now?"

Her fingers tightened around my wrists as she allowed a small chuckle to break past her lips. "You're not easy to turn down Ino. Trust me, I'd love to but you really should get home," she finished, releasing my wrists as she backed away. Slightly annoyed, I retrieved my items and followed her downstairs.

So as I made my way to my car, only to be pressed against it in the driveway as Sakura kissed me soft and slow, I couldn't help but think I was getting myself in a heap of trouble.

* * *

"Good break overall?" Reika asked from across the table, smile on her lips as she waved at a passing boy.

I had decided to take her up on her offer, despite the warnings of Sakura and Naruto, to hang out. I wanted to see for myself just what kind of a person she was. So far, I was able to conclude a few things, the first being, that she was very very popular amongst the student body. Guys and girls alike stopped by to speak, cases in which I'd instantly retreat to my loner instincts.

Yet she didn't really seemed phased by any of it. She'd smile and wave and engage in a half minute conversation before refocusing her attention back on me. "Yeah, pretty good. So...you're pretty popular," I mentioned, nervously waving at the boy she'd just finished talking to. Facing me, she laughed softly, tucking her hair behind her ear, "Popular...not even. However, being in a sorority does get you into a bit of parties. I've seen my share of people on campus."

A sorority? That was something I hadn't quite expected.

She was gorgeous enough to be in one, not that looks were the number one deciding factor. Studying her easygoing smile and relaxing aura, I concluded with a smile, "It fits you." Another small laugh as she shrugged, "Well Ino, I'm surprised you're not. I'm sure you'd slay at all the parties. Hell, you and I could literally have guys and girls alike falling at our feets."

Blushing at her assumption that I'd be anywhere near decent enough to draw attention at a greek party earned a laugh and reassuring smile from here.

"Relax," she grinned, rising from her chair to discard her trash before gripping my shoulder, "You don't seem like the party type. But, even still, I'd like for you to come out with me one of these nights. Yeah?" And for whatever stupid reason, I found myself nodding in agreement.

I knew damn well that I wouldn't be able to handle parties that intense. Part of the reason I steered clear of them in the first place.

But then again, parties where when my wild side came out to play. I could throw back drinks like nobody's business and I always found myself grinding on some stranger throughout the night. Besides, no one here hardly knew me so it wasn't like I was ruining my rep. It couldn't be that bad to go to one?

"Thatta girl! I'll let you know about the next one," she exclaimed happily, tugging me up to follow her.

I didn't know where we were going but I allowed her to guide me through the crowds of students rushing about to get from class to class. After much bobbing and weaving, we ended up on the top floor of the student common area, slipping into one of the empty ballrooms. Confused, I spun around slowly, asking softly, "Why are we here?"

"To clear the air."

"Clear the air?"

"I know Sakura probably told you some bullshit story about why she hates me and why you should too," she breathed, rubbing her neck achingly. "But I don't hate you," I quickly explained, frown on my lips as she chewed hers nervously.

Hazel eyes meeting my own, she asked softly, "Why not?"

Rolling my eyes, I walked over and squeezed her shoulder, "Because I believe in giving people chances. Despite what I heard, unless I hear it directly from your mouth, I have no reason to believe any of it. And you haven't given me a reason not to trust you," I finished with a reassuring smile.

A warm smile crossed her lips as she smoothly grasped my fingers and laced them with her own. Leaning in, she whispered against my ear, "Good. I want us to become _really_ good friends. What about you?" She asked pulling away slowly.

"Yes," I whispered, "I think Ayame would've liked that."

"Me too," she smiled again, slowly releasing my hands as she backed away slowly. "I'll hit you up eventually whenever our next party is. In the meantime, don't hesitate to hit me up if you just want to hang. Catch ya later Ino." With a wave of her fingers, she slipped away and left me alone.

* * *

No way they were serious.

It all just had to be some sort of joke, right?

Yet as I sat here on the hood of my car, gang surrounding me, I couldn't find it in me to laugh. Instead, with disbelief still crossing my thoughts, I mumbled, "You're kidding…" Fingers running through his hair, Sasuke groaned out, "Not even close. Found out this morning."

It had been a few days since I had seen Sakura not counting class. Even then we hadn't really spoken much. I'd say hello, she'd nod and close her eyes, effectively shutting off the outside world. So when Temari texted me and mentioned that we needed to talk, I had hurriedly made my way to the parking lot where the rest of the gang, minus Sakura, had greeted me.

Of all of the things I expected to hear, hearing that Sakura had broken up with Rin over the weekend wasn't one of them.

Unable to form a complete though, I managed to mumble out a confused, "Why?"

Shrugging, Temari scowled, "She didn't go into detail. Some story about how shit just wasn't working out and that she was stressing her out more than usual." Tenten sighed, brown eyes narrowed at the ground, "If you ask me it's about fucking time. I knew from the beginning that the girl was no good."

I was literally in shock. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't force my mind to grasp any of it. The part that I really couldn't understand, was why the rest of the gang all seemed so nonchalant about it. Like there wasn't a single thing wrong with this situation.

Slightly annoyed, I asked, "You all aren't worried about any of this?"

Suddenly all of their eyes were on me. However, this wasn't the time for me to start acting shy. Blinking slowly, Naruto asked, "What do you mean? Why would be mad about this?" No one else answered, probably thinking the exact same thing as Naruto which was a little worrying.

With Naruto already not being the most brightest, the fact that no one was opposing his question was a bigger problem than I thought.

"Is there something we're missing here Ino?" Tenten asked next, arms folded as she stared me down. Unable to bite my tongue any longer, I snapped more harshly than I intended to, "I just feel like you all are missing the most important part here. If you guys have known since the weekend, why haven't any of you gone to check on her?"

Silence. Not that I was surprised.

I get it, it made sense. Now that Rin was gone, Sakura could possibly be happy. She could go out with her gang and have a good time without the feel of being tied down. She didn't have to stress about wondering if her significant other was being faithful. She didn't have to worry about any of that.

Regardless of all the positives, there had to have been some attraction and mutual affection at some point. For that reason alone, it made sense to check in on someone after a breakup. Granted, Sakura probably wasn't sitting at home moping about right now but it wouldn't hurt to check on her anyway.

So for the upteenth time, I made my way to Sakura's.

I pounded on her door, lips pulled into a frown as I waited for her to answer. With it being early december, it was far too cold to be spending too much time outside. Growing frustrated when she didn't answer, I hurriedly snatched my phone from my pocket and pulled up her number. Pressing it to my ear, I waited for her voice before I snapped, "Where the hell are you?"

"In my room." She blankly answered.

"Well, are you going to open the door?" I bit slowly through clenched teeth.

"Nah, not today Ino. Whatever it is, I'm sure it can wait," she sighed over the phone, yawn passing her lips shortly afterwards. She was far too relaxed and calm for me to believe that she wasn't going through it right now. I didn't know how but I knew I had to get inside. If not to get my answers, then at least to get out of the cold.

I tugged my scarf and buttoned my coat, using the only methods I had of keeping warm. Literally minutes rolled by with us on the phone, neither of us saying a thing. Was she seriously not going to open the door?

"Sakura," I whined, "Open the door. Please."

"Ino, go home. I don't want to talk about it," she mumbled before hanging up a second later.

So that was it. She wasn't going to entertain my questions tonight and the fact that she had left me to stand out here alone spoke volumes. But two could play at this game. I'd leave it alone. Despite it being the middle of the week, I wasn't going to let her shitty mood ruin my own. Spinning on my heel, I retreated to my car and headed in the direction of the nearest bar.

* * *

Four shots in and I already forgotten the reason I was annoyed in the first place.

What little hold on my memory I did manage to retain however, was the name of the guy next to me who had ensured I was never short on drinks from the very second I arrived.

Ruben. His name was.

And I had to admit that he was pretty damn good looking. However, it wasn't even his looks or his willingness to buy me drinks that had me laughing and smiling so effortlessly. It was his easygoing personality. Not once had he made a grab at me or made me feel uncomfortable. He was simply a guy enjoying a drink with a girl. And with the way we were talking, you never would've guessed that we were complete strangers.

God. How long has it been since I was able to socialize with a guy without it being awkward?

It was refreshing to say the least. However, I would see the way he'd glance at me when he threw back a shot of his own, only to snatch his eyes away a second later once I caught him staring. It was amusing. Most guys were forward enough to have tried something by now but he seemed almost afraid of me.

A little push might help him loosen up more to my liking.

Leaning over, I whispered softly, "I really appreciate the drinks. You're a very sweet guy Ruben. Girls must hover around you all the time." Gray colored eyes met my own as a smile twitched upon his lips. "None as stunning as you though," he slipped smoothly, surprising me slightly but only stroking my already inflated ego.

"Oh yeah? How stunning," I teased, biting my lip as I swirled another drink in front of me.

Leaning over to my ear, his lips brushed against my cheek as he mumbled, "I could spend all night showing you if you give me a chance. I assure you, I won't disappoint." Having coaxed him out of his shell, I smirked as I downed the rest of my drink, loving the way it burned my throat. Eyes dangerous, I moved to his ear and breathed out, "Actions speak louder than words. I'll believe it when I see it."

I pulled away slowly, smirking when I saw him slam his cash down onto the bar. He reached for my hand and I gave it to him, following his tugs as we made our way outside.

I had almost forgotten how cold it was, what with the way the alcohol was warming the rest of my body. A second later I was hovering before being placed onto the trunk of a car other than my own. My legs separated as a body stepped between them and I didn't have to think twice about wrapping my arms around his neck and pressing our lips together.

It started slow but it wasn't enough for me.

I whimpered, scratching softly at his neck urging him to kiss me harder. Understanding my need for more, he obliged, tearing his lips from my own to have them suck at my neck roughly. I bit my lip, trying to force down a moan as he gripped my waist, rolling my hips against his.

Growling into my neck, he bit roughly and ordered, "I wanna hear it Ino. I want to hear every noise you make."

Unfastening my jacket quickly, he slipped his hand under my shirt and palmed at my chest forcing my breath to hitch. Fingers weaving themselves into his hair, I nodded and allowed every shameless noise that he caused to slip past my lips. Fuck, it all felt so amazing. It must've been that coupled with the alcohol that had me feeling bold enough to teasingly slip my hand down the front of his jeans.

He stilled so quickly it was almost laughable.

I heard him hiss against my ear before he slowly pulled away to watch him. I didn't stop even as he did, slowly rubbing my hand against him and watching as he struggled beneath the tips of my fingers. I might have suddenly developed a bold streak but even I couldn't fight the blush that followed when he groaned for me not to stop.

Swallowing nervously, I nodded, moving my hand faster and reveling at the amount of power I now possessed over him.

Yet no matter how excited we both were, the sudden sound of approaching footsteps had us both freezing immediately. Looking over his shoulder, I was at a complete loss for words when I saw Sakura standing there looking nothing short of pissed off. Quickly snatching back my hand, I parted my lips to speak only for her to cut me off.

"By all means don't stop on my account," she bit icily, hands in her pockets as she glared down the both of us.

"Why are you here?" I mumbled, frown heavy on my lips.

"Funny," she spat, "Here I was, just about to ask you the same thing. Have you lost your _fucking_ mind Ino! I've been blowing up your phone trying to figure out where the hell you were and I find you with your hand shoved down some prick's pants!"

Eyes narrowed, I hopped down from what I assumed to be Ruben's car. Fastening his jeans, he mumbled coldly at Sakura, "What the fuck is it to you man? Fucking cockblock of the century." A growl rumbled in Sakura's throat as she took a step forward, "Piss off. This doesn't have shit to do with you."

Both of them stepped to each other challengingly, forcing me to step between them. This is was a shitty ass time for the alcohol to start wearing off. I was far too aware of my situation and though I wouldn't admit it to Sakura, I knew now that this was a really bad idea.

Keeping them apart the best I could, I replied, "Why are you upset Sakura? I left like you told me to."

"No I told you to go home, not come to a bar on a sketchy ass side of town and go and fuck some guy you just met," she hissed at me, trying to break my hold as I kept her at bay. Man I really had fucked up. Sakura was hard enough to keep back but with her currently wanting nothing more than to cave in Ruben's chest, I knew I had to get the situation under control. Fast.

"Ruben, I'm really sorry but I have to go," I rushed out, finally able to get them apart for a few seconds.

Jaw firm, he clenched and unclenched his fists as he muttered, "Who the fuck is this asshole Ino? I'm not one to hurt girls but she's fucking pushing it."

"Funny," Sakura chuckled dryly, "I was just about to say the exact same thing."

"Enough," I snapped, shoving them back with the last of my strength. "Ruben look, I'm really sorry but I need to go. She's one of my best friends and she's just being overprotective. It was nice meeting you and I really had a good time."

Tightening his jaw, he dropped his gaze from Sakura briefly to nod, "Yeah. Me too. Get home safe." I smiled weakly, completely drained at this point as I nodded. Pulling him into a quick hug, I pressed a chaste kiss to his cheek as I pulled Sakura away.

Before I could get us to my car, she snatched me by the arm and dragged me to her's. I was shoved into the front passenger seat before I heard the door shut beside me. We were at her apartment in a matter of minutes. Tugging me along again, she fumbled with her keys before finally finding the one to unlock her door. The second it unlocked, we were inside and I was being pushed upstairs.

She slammed her room door shut behind us as she mumbled for me to get in bed before disappearing onto her balcony.

My eyes flickered back and forth between the inviting bed and the lonely balcony. Walking back into the cold, I found Sakura leaning against the rail, cigarette between her lips. "Sakura," I called softly. Stepping closer, I was shocked to see her trembling, eyes narrowed as she furiously tried to get her lighter to work. Mumbling a string of curses, she kept trying and failing over and over again to get it to work. I had had enough.

Storming over, I snatched it from her lips and chucked it over the rail. She made a move to grab another but I stopped her, eyes pleading as I begged her to calm down. She was full on shaking at this point, teeth grinding together as she begged for me to leave her alone. But I couldn't stomach such a thought, not when she was like this.

"Sakura," I whispered, fingers brushing against her cheek, "Please. It's okay...Look, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I should've gone home." I rushed out to reassure her.

She continued to fight me, pleading for me to stop as she fought to pull away. I refused. I hushed her softly, pulling at her neck as she buried her head into my shoulder. "You can't do shit like that to me Ino. You can't...something could've happened to you and I swear to fucking god I would've lost it," she mumbled into my neck, voice cracking.

Tears stinging my eyes, I apologized. Stumbling about how sorry I was over and over was the only thing I could think of to get through to her.

How could I have been so stupid to let that happen? I knew better than that and yet I had gone out to some bar alone and indulged on the free liquor and nearly ended up sleeping with some guy I hadn't known for so much as an hour. It was completely irresponsible and out of character for me.

She finally calmed down, making me relax finally as well.

"I'm sorry," I whispered again, brushing her hair from her face. She nodded, looking away as she drew in a breath. I didn't want her focus anywhere else after her little break down. I wanted her here with me. So I gripped her chin and pulled her eyes to my own as I brushed my lip with hers. "Can you forgive me?" I spoke into her lips.

Kissing me back softly, she nodded, "Always, Ino. Just don't do some shit like that ever again."

Smiling softly, I nodded, "I won't." She sighed, gripping my waist tightly between her fingers. While the moment was nice, I couldn't help but ask a question. Pulling away, I asked her, "How did you know where to find me Sakura?" She paused, swallowing nervously as she sat upon the bed.

"I...can't say," she mumbled, eyes narrowed at the ground.

I frowned, resting my head on her shoulder as I sat beside her. "Tell me," I whispered, fingers slipping through hers. She made a small noise, using her free hand to tug through her hair as she mumbled, "I only did it because I was worried something like this might happen Ino, I swear I'm not creeping on you."

"What did you do Sakura?"

"Give me your phone," she ordered. Fiddling around in my pocket, I pulled out my phone, unlocking it as I handed it over. She took it from me, swiping and scrolling before handing it over. "There," she pointing at some option I'd never seen before on my phone, "This, lets me know where you are at all times. I know it seems weird but this is the first time I've used it for you."

I blinked slowly, eyes scanning over the information. She handed her phone over to me, pulling up the exact same menu. "I have it for mine too. Just in case you need to find me," she mumbled, "I enabled it when you gave me your number. I just hoped I'd never have to use it. I should've told you."

I shook my head, facing her as I smiled, "No. I get it. I should be thanking you if anything. So...thank you."

"Anything for you Ino," she whispered against my lips forcing a blush to appear on my cheeks. "You can stay here for the night. You look exhausted," she said, rising from the bed to kick off her shoes. I didn't answer, shrugging off my coat and jeans before tugging my shirt over my head.

I walked over, fingers grasping hers as I pulled her along to the bed. I crawled in first, heart racing as I pulled her to hover over me. Taking one of her hands, I placed it on my waist, gasping at the feel of her ice cold fingertips on my skin. "We don't have to do this Ino," she mumbled, head lowering to my neck as her lips teased my already burning skin.

"No," I breathed, "But I want to."

"Are you sure?" She asked, thumb teasing the waistband of my panties. Fighting back a gasp, I could only nod and breathe a soft, "Yes." She complied, slipping her hand down further, forcing my nails to drag against the exposed part of her neck. "Tell me when to stop Ino," she mumbled, sucking slowly at my neck.

But I knew that time would never come because I had waited far too long for the moment I'd be able to have her, guilt-free. For she was no one else's now, if not mine.

* * *

 _ **Welp. That's that. Such a wonderful time we're having here. Also, the phone thing is actually a real thing. My brother and I do this with our iPhones. We can check and see where each other are. I use it all the time because I'm a worrywart and need to make sure my baby is safe, even though he's almost two years older than me. It was actually his idea. Hooray for overprotective big brothers! Anyway, thank Shy for harassing me about posting this. I apologize if it's shitty but hey, I never admitted to being a professional! Love your faces! ^^**_


	13. Obstacle Course

_**Not much of an A/N. But for those of you who watched the latest episode of Naruto Shippuden, how touching was that? Sasuke has always been my favorite. Simply a lost soul in all this madness. Anyway, enjoy!**_

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 13: Obstacle Course**_

As my eyes peeled open and my chest rose and fell with each breath, I couldn't help the blush that crept up my cheeks as I recalled last nights activities.

I had only slept with the two boyfriends I'd had over the course of high school and both times had been pretty good. However, never in my life had I expected my next time to be with a girl and I sure as hell hadn't expected her to give me the most mind-blowing sex of my 22 years of existence. Even now, I could vividly remember the feel of her fingers curling inside of me as I clawed at her back and begged for her to fuck me harder.

"Fucking hell," I groaned, eyes shifting to sneak a peek at Sakura. She wasn't there.

Sitting up quickly, I didn't bother to catch the sheets that fell, exposing my upper chest. Eyes narrowed at the empty space beside me, I couldn't help but assume the worst. Had she waited until I had fallen asleep to leave? Was she outside with a cigarette between her lips, questioning if last night was a mistake.

No. That was ridiculous. She wouldn't just up and leave after that, would she?

Of course not. It was a stupid thought, or so I told myself. Swinging my legs out from under the sheets, I looked around for my clothes only to not be able to find them anywhere. Biting the bullet, I decided to shrug on one of Sakura's hoodies. We basically had the same body type but with her being taller it hung a little loosely but for now, it would do.

Making a quick trip to the bathroom, I splashed some water on my face and crept silently downstairs. Each creak seemed louder than the last, making it nearly impossible to be stealthy about my presence. Once down, I was surprised to see a plate of food already made with a small note placed beside it. Stepping over, I picked up the note, eyes studying the words as a smile slowly crept onto my face.

 _ **Sorry if I worried you this morning. You didn't fuck up or anything like that,  
not that you could. Didn't want to wake you so I slipped out and made you  
breakfast. You were still sleeping so I took Shiro with me to pick up your car.  
Text me when you wake up, I'll be back soon. Also, your clothes should be  
finished in the dryer by the time you wake up.**_

 _ **-Sakura (obviously)**_

Setting the note back down, I ran my fingers through my hair, stupid little smile still on my lips. I don't know why I had doubted her. Of course she wouldn't run out on me like that. Taking my plate, I heated it up briefly before retreating to the couch and flipping on the TV. The glass sliding door leading to the backyard alerted me to the fact that it was raining and heavily.

Suddenly it dawned on me that she had gone and retrieved my car in the rain, alone. Feeling extremely guilty, I pulled out my phone to text her that I was awake only to hear the keys rattle a second later.

Huge smile plastered on my face, I peeked my head over the back of the couch to greet her, "Took you long eno-"

But it wasn't her.

Instead, Rin stood there, completely drenched and looking nothing short of annoyed. Though when her eyes locked with my own, they reached a whole new level of pissed. Swallowing nervously, I muttered quietly, "Oh, sorry. I didn't think it was you."

"Yeah, I'm fucking sure," she bit out tightly, shrugging off her jacket. The hostility was expected but the fact that Sakura wasn't here made me that much more on edge. Making her way over to me slowly, she stared me down, eyeing me as if I had some sort of secret to hide. Yet as much as I'd like to believe I had one, I could tell that she was well aware that something was already up.

Her eyes then rolled to the half eaten plate of food on the coffee table before a unimpressed snort passed her lips, "Looks like she made you a pity fuck breakfast. I suppose you should be proud considering most don't even get that much. You must be pretty fucking special, huh?" She finished the last part with a grind of her teeth.

For the love of god, Sakura please come back soon.

I didn't do well with these kinds of situations and the longer I was left to fend for my own, the more trouble I was going to get in. I didn't think her last question actually warranted an answer but with the way she was almost challenging me to pretend like I didn't just hear a single thing she said, I knew that I better start speaking.

"Nothing happened. We're just friends. I didn't mean for this to happen," I mumbled, fingers clenching tightly around my arm.

"Guess what _Princess_ , you fucking did. So used to getting whatever you want that when you don't, you stoop low enough to take it from someone else," she snorted crudely. She made her way around the couch, eyes hard as she observed my lack of coverage. "Then you sit here, thinking that you're hot shit because you're wearing her clothes while she washes yours and makes you breakfast. _Nothing happened?_ Give me a fucking break. It's not cute, it's fucking dirty and pathetic."

Jaw settling, I watched as she stormed off upstairs. The rummaging and huffing was a clear sign of her frustration that I'm completely sure was all directed at me.

I could feel the guilt bubbling in the pit of my stomach, beginning the start of my anxiety. While she was gone, I told myself to use the time to relax and breathe. However, with the sound of footsteps pounding closer and closer, I could only feel my heart rate increase and my palms grown sweaty as I balled them tightly. I couldn't bite my tongue any longer. So as she walked by, I boldly stated, "You didn't deserve her."

Her response was slow but menacing all the same. Slowly facing me, she forced a quick dry laugh and hissed, "Excuse me?"

Somewhat regretting my decision, I knew that I had no choice but to stick with it now. I repeated myself, rising slowly from the couch as I dared to look in her fuming eyes, "I said...you _don't_ deserve her Rin. You only used her to get what you wanted but you didn't care about her."

Stepping back towards me, I had to force myself to hold my ground when she bit out, "You talk a lot of shit for it to be none of your damn business. You and all of those no good friends of hers are fucking trouble. Starting your fucking rumors like you're fresh outta middle school. How about you grow the fuck up and ask me about it instead of running your mouths!"

Reaching the tipping point, I managed to snap back just as coldly, "I don't need to ask when I can see it clear as fucking day! You drain the hell out of her like she doesn't already have enough on her plate. Perhaps if you took a second to drain the air out of that empty ass head of yours, you'd realize for one second that the world doesn't revolve around you. You say I'm used to having shit handed to me? You don't even fucking work! I've never asked Sakura for a damn thing that I could get myself. You're a good for nothing, lazy, gold digger who wouldn't even lift a finger if you could have her do it for you!"

The hand that connected with my cheek a second later came too fast for me to be able to dodge. My hand reached for the bruise instantly, feeling the burning sensation intensify far too much for my liking.

The front door opened and shut just as quickly. I saw Shiro run inside, sliding across the floor as he made his way to his food dish. Both of our eyes landed on Sakura who had yet to notice either of us. Mumbling a curse, she shook the rain from her hair, turning around slowly to put away her jacket.

Like clockwork, her eyes were on us next. Green eyes were wide as she looked at me before switching to Rin.

I quickly dropped the hand from my cheek but it was too late. She was walking over, taking my chin in her hand as she inspected my cheek. I looked away, unable to meet her stare. She dropped her hand slowly before turning back to Rin.

Voice the lowest I'd ever heard from her, she mumbled, "Did you put your hands on her?" And almost as if she was proud of herself, she smirked and nodded, "I sure fucking did. I assure you if you hadn't walked through that door a second ago, I wouldn't have hesitated to do it again."

Ruthless.

She literally didn't a single fuck unless it pertained to her in some way.

While in some cases it was admirable, this time it was just plain irritating. My eyes flashed when I saw Sakura's hand raise slowly. Panicking, I quickly snatched back her hand as I begged, "Sakura don't! It's not worth it." My hands kept her arm back but she looked ready to deliver the blow at any moment. Rin didn't so much as flinch.

Instead, she stepped forward and glared into Sakura's burning forested eyes, "Do it. I _fucking_ dare you."

"Don't," I pleaded, tugging harder. Finally able to get her back, I gave her a desperate look. It wasn't worth getting herself mixed up because I was stupid enough to get hit. I could tell she was fighting with her decision. She wanted to give me what I wanted, I knew she did, but her desire to hurt anyone that wronged me was almost instinctive.

Finally, with another look into my eyes, she lowered her hand.

"You've gotta be fucking kidding me. This bitch-"

"Get out," she growled darkly, teeth grinding and fists clenching, "Get the fuck out Rin. Get your shit and leave. Give me my key and leave. I don't _ever_ want you in my place again. Put your hands on her again and I swear I don't give a flying fuck, I'll fuck you up myself. I'm not against hitting girls who play dirty." She finished, stepping closer and daring Rin to argue otherwise.

The tension was so thick that I could literally feel myself suffocating.

Neither of them moved. They only glared, looking on the verge of killing the other. Before I knew it, Rin had caved first. Spinning on her heel, she snatched up the rest of her things, throwing the keys at me. "Here," she spat, "I'm sure she'll be giving them to you soon enough."

The sound of the front door slamming shut signaled the end of the nightmare that was Rin. It also signaled for the tears to start as Sakura quickly pulled me against her.

"I'm sorry," I whimpered against her, body shaking as I tried to press back the unmistakable feeling of guilt building inside of me.

She hushed me, lips pressing against the top of my head as she gripped my chin. "Look at me," she commanded, eyes hard as she waited for me to obey. It took me a while before I finally did glance in her direction. Sighing, obviously exhausted, she mumbled, "Ino, I'm not going to lie. I did leave her primarily because I wanted you more but also because this shit has been toxic for far too long. It was only a matter of time. Don't beat yourself up about this. I'm okay with this, I don't regret any of it. Okay?"

Her words provided a bit of comfort. Drying my eyes, I shakily drew in a breath and nodded. Sighing in relief, she guided me to sit on the couch. Kicking off her shoes, she moved to join me, pulling me lay against her. I squeezed her t-shirt between my fingers, relaxing piece by piece as she stroked my hair. "It's alright," she soothed.

Finally, I was able to relax. Rin was gone officially and I could enjoy Sakura's company without feeling too much like shit.

I tried to sit up but her hand pressing against my waist had other plans. Raising my eyes to meet hers, I shivered at the heat burning in her stare. Fingers slipping the back of her neck, I assured her, "It doesn't hurt anymore. I'm okay."

Gently rubbing her thumb along my cheek, she mumbled, "That obvious, huh?"

A small giggle bubbled in my chest as I nodded. "Just a little bit. But it's sweet to see how much you care," I teased, grinning as I watched her cheeks turn red. "Whatever," she mumbled, moving to push me away. Before she could knock me off, I leaned in to steal a quick kiss. Her hands were quick, keeping me in her lap before I could escape.

The need for air forced us apart and before things could get too heated, I slid from her lap. "I should probably shower."

Eyes taking in my half dressed state, she mumbled, "You look fine."

Rolling my eyes, I teasingly scratched her scalp before retrieving my clothes from the dryer and slipping upstairs. I made quick work of hopping in the shower, getting dressed and returning downstairs. From my perch on the stairs, I could see that Sakura hadn't moved. Eyes closed and arms behind her head she rested peacefully.

Creeping down the last few steps, I relaxed when I saw she hadn't moved. Grinning, I hopped over the couch to land on top of her. The glare she shot me only forced a sheepish smile on my lips. Before I could annoy her any further, I lay down on top of her. "To think, I used to believe you were a pain in my ass before," she grumbled, hand rubbing at my lower back.

"Unfortunately for you, you're stuck with me now," I laughed softly.

Fingers tightening around my waist, she whispered low to my ear, "I think I'll manage somehow."

* * *

"No," Sakura answered plain and simply to Tenten's offer of a party.

We had met up with the group to go catch some new Christmas movie and take care of some holiday shopping when Tenten sprung the news. While I had been completely for the idea of a holiday themed party, Sakura on the other hand clearly wasn't digging it.

"Aww come on Sak, live a little why don't ya," Naruto teased, elbowing her in the side as we exited the theater.

"No," she repeated again, "Why do you guys feel the need to throw parties all the time. Maybe you guys "live a little" a little too much." I couldn't help but laugh at her little joke, finding it a tad amusing. It was also nice to know that while she seemed a little hostile, she was really close with her friends. Temari snorted, eyes lingering on a girl that passed us and gave her a innocent smile.

Smirking proudly, she mumbled, "Loosen up kid. To save you the trouble, I'll even host it at my place. My apartment has just enough, if not more space than yours." My eyes widened at her comment. I hadn't gotten the chance to go to Temari's place yet. I already found Sakura's place big enough as it is, I could only imagine Temari's place being even worse.

Sasuke added in as we claimed seats at some random table at the food court, "Nice little holiday themed party. We'll invite some of our frat brothers and of course girls will be dying to get in too." With a grin, Naruto chuckled, "Hell yeah. Besides, we can also celebrate Sakura's newfound singlehood at the party too."

Arching her brow, she mumbled, "Excuse me?"

Laughing, Tenten swung her arm around Sakura's shoulder, "Come on Sakura! Now that Rin isn't bugging you anymore, you can hook up with whoever guilt free!" Scoffing, Sakura shook her head, eyes discreetly flashing to my own forcing me to blush.

I'm pretty sure that none of the group knew about me and Sakura yet. Though we weren't exactly an item, we had both agreed to keep our business under wraps for the time being.

"I'm pretty sure I don't need a party to find a girl to hook up with for the night," she sighed out, carefully pulling her eyes from my own. Snorting rudely, Temari leaned back with a grin, "Hey man, not all of us have your skill for pulling girls. What's your secret?"

"Be all dark and mysterious and save damsels in distress. Works every time," Naruto joked gaining laughter from the rest of us.

Honestly, a party before the holiday's sounded like a lot of fun. Knowing there's no way Sakura would let me go alone, I grinned innocently before mentioning, "Honestly it sounds great. I think I have the perfect dress for it too." Watching her eyes travel up to catch mine, I knew I had her right where I wanted her.

"You should come Sakura," I almost begged, eyes pleading and lips tugging.

Leaning back in her chair, she huffed, "Whatever man. Don't come crying to me when you have to clean up the mess afterwards. Not about it." Cheers erupted at the table, mostly from Tenten, Naruto and myself. Temari only grinned and smoothly tossed, "Should've known Ino would be the one coax you into going. Didn't waste much time on claiming that one. Don't blame you either."

"Hn. Shut up Temari," she grunted, rising from her seat, "We gonna eat or what?" Everyone hopped up quickly but for some strange reason, my eyes were on Temari. She winked and nodded for me to go join Sakura.

I did, albeit hesitantly. I couldn't help but wonder as Sakura ordered for me; just _how_ much did Temari really know?

* * *

"Are you sure it's not too much," I nervously asked Tenten while inspecting my outfit one last time in Temari's bathroom.

Rolling her eyes, she removed the cardigan I had thrown on to keep me warm. "It's would be perfect if you'd quit trying to cover up. It's a party Ino you're not going to church, relax. If you get cold, chances are you just didn't have enough to drink," she lectured, fingers working their last minute magic on my hair.

It was my turn to roll my eyes, though not without a smile, "Trying to get me drunk so you can ravage me too?"

Giggling, she stepped back to admire her work, "Don't worry, I'll be gentle with you." She flashed me a wink and I couldn't help but join in with her laughter. She was great company to have around, nice and relaxed and so easy to talk to. She reminded me a lot of Ayame with her bubbly personality.

With a gentle tug, she motioned for the door, "Come on. There's plenty of people here now and plenty of drinks with our names on them." I followed her out of the bathroom, eyes adjusting to darkness around me. My ears instantly filled with the loud thumping of basses booming and excited cheers of intoxicated college students.

Heading down the stairs, I instantly had a drink shoved in my hands by Naruto. It was pink, an odd color for a drink at a college party.

Reading my mind, Naruto assured me, "Seems like something you'd like. It's pretty damn good. Lucky one of Temari's good friends agreed to be bartender for the night. She's the real deal." Swirling my drink around, I took a sip and had to force myself from downing it all in one go. "Wow," I breathed, "That is amazing."

Handing it to Tenten to take a sip, she agreed, "Pretty good. I'm not one for fruity drinks though. I need some harder shit."

She left us alone in search of something _stronger_ to get her going. Naruto on the other hand kept at my side as we weaved in and out of the crowds of students. It was truly a nice festive party. Many of them wore santa hats and variations of holiday colors. Temari had even gone as far as decorating her home with garland and streamers and other things.

Unfortunately, it seemed she had also decided to throw in a bit of mistletoe in random parts of the apartment. With a grin, Naruto nodded at the little plant hanging in the doorframe, "Well would ya look at that. Looks like you owe me a kiss," he chuckled, rubbing his neck with that playful grin still on his face.

Rolling my eyes, I leaned in and pressed my lips against his cheek before pulling away. It was harmless fun which is the only reason I found myself indulging.

A girl, olive-skinned with long curly dark-brown hair strolled by, flashing a suggestive wink at Naruto. Following his eyes, I giggled, "Well go on, don't keep her waiting." Squeezing my shoulder, he rushed off, wasting no time in swinging his arm around the girl's shoulders.

As he found his own entertainment for tonight, I went about a search for my own.

While many frat brothers flocked my way, with their charming smiles and promises of a good time, none of them really caught my attention. However, when a boy stumbled into me nearly toppling me over, only to smoothly catch me at the waist, I had to say, he was quite the catch.

Tanned skin, curly brown hair and green eyes gifted my eyes. Pulling me up slowly, he smiled sheepishly, "Sorry. A gentleman should pay more attention, definitely in the presence of a lady as gorgeous as yourself." Biting my lip, I gazed back at his eyes, noticing that they weren't nearly as green as Sakura's.

"Can I have your name?" He asked, leaning into my ear to ensure I heard.

Pulling back, I grinned and whispered, "Only if you give me yours?" Arching his brow, he chuckled and nodded. "Hayden. And you?"

"Ino," I quickly told him, eyes pulling away.

I hadn't had nearly enough to drink to start entertaining Hayden just yet. While I had to admit, he was nothing short of handsome, I felt that without enough alcohol in my system. I wouldn't be much fun tonight. Especially since my mind was already on Sakura who had yet to be seen all night. I was assured that she would be here yet she still hadn't responded to any of my messages confirming that she was in fact here.

"Ino," the calm voice of Hayden called from beside me, "That's beautiful. Can I get you a drink?" I nodded absentmindedly, following him through the crowd before we came to the kitchen. He grabbed a beer for himself but I didn't need that. I was suddenly craving, much like Tenten, something stronger.

Instead, I helped myself to a shot of Tequila before calling for a simple cup of vodka. While it wasn't anything fancy, the urge to feel something was far too great to settle for mixed drinks all night.

Almost instantly, I could feel the warmth rushing through my body, forcing my face to redden. Laughing softly, Hayden admitted, "Don't think I've ever met a girl who preferred the harder shit over a mixed drink." Smirk twisting, I took another swig of my drink. Licking my lips, I caught his eyes staring as I whispered, "Perhaps it's because I'm not like any girl you've met before."

Leaning in, he mumbled, "Perfect."

Before he could steal away a kiss, I heard cheers coming from the living room. The sudden sound of noise snatched my attention away as Hayden missed and planted a kiss on my cheek.

"Sorry," I mumbled, stepping around him without so much as a second glance. I could hear him mumble under his breath but his annoyance at not being able to hook up was the least of my concern. Instead, I found myself pressing through the crowd.

God it was times like these that made being short such a pain in the ass.

Swirling my drink around, I managed to steal a glance through the others and spotted Temari in the midst. With the sounds of music and cheering, it was near impossible to hear what she was saying. It was only when I squeezed through the bodies of others that I could see much more clearly, the hype that everyone was excited for.

Before Temari, was a simple kitchen dining chair.

In it, was none other than Sakura. However, her eyes were covered with a blindfold and her arms behind her back. In her lap, a girl was shamelessly grinding into her, fingers weaving into her hair. I didn't know what kind of shit fest I had just walked into but I was determined to put an end to it.

But before I could storm my way over to Temari, a hand was snatching me back. Shooting a glare at whoever it was, I was surprised for it to be Sasuke. Though it was only a matter of time before I ran into all the gang. "Easy," he teased, throwing back his own drink as he looked past me into the chaos happening in the center of the room.

"What's going on," I hissed, already intent on making my way back over when he stopped me again.

Shrugging, he smirked, "Exactly what we had in mind. Getting Haruno worked up with a bunch of girls so she'll have some fun tonight." Biting the inside of my cheek, I remained silent, eyes trailing over to Sakura.

"Jealous?"

Choking on my drink, I spun around to face Sasuke who didn't look the least bit apathetic. "It's all over your face sweetheart," he muttered. Together we watched the show, me fuming on the inside while he seemed thoroughly amused. Lips by my ear, he mumbled, "Well then...I suggest you get over there and do something about it, hmm?"

Turning away, he slipped back into the crowd.

Downing the rest of my drink, I pushed through once more. Grabbing Temari by the shoulder, I mumbled, "Let me go." Brow arched, her shock quickly traded for amusement as she nodded. She whistled, signalling for the girl currently hovering over Sakura to stop. Shoving my cup into Temari's hands, I carefully stepped around Sakura, eyes taking in her flushed cheeks and the sweat collecting on her brow.

Slipping both knees around her, I slowly slid into her lap. I refused to speak, not wanting to give away who I was.

Following the rhythm of the music, I slid my arms around her neck, hips swaying softly. Boldly, I kissed her cheek, trailing my lips down her neck. Hearing her breath hitch as I nibbled and sucked on every bit of skin I could reach excited me far more than I could ever imagine. Nodding at Temari, she walked over, gently removing the blindfold before stepping away.

Her eyes flinched, trying to get adjusted to everything around her. When they finally focused on me, I could only smile as I tugged her hair, giving me more room to suck at her neck. "Ino," she groaned, arms straining against their bonds.

Smirking against her neck, I breathed, "I was wondering when I'd finally see you. Here I am, tipsy as hell and you're fucking around with some girl."

"This wasn't my idea," she countered with a hiss when I bit too roughly at her jaw. "Oh?" I asked, "Didn't seem like you put up much a fight." I pulled away just far enough to stare into her eyes that were clouded over so heavily, she didn't even appear to see me. I boldly stole a kiss, earning cheers from the crowd around us who were all for hyping Sakura up.

"Let me ask you this," I began, stopping the movement of my hips to question, "Why are you sitting here, hot and bothered from every girl on your lap...when I've been waiting for you to make me feel the same all night?" A curse tumbled from her lips as she struggled again to free her hands. Growling lowly, she snapped, "The sooner they let me go, the closer I am to pinning you to Temari's bed and making you scream."

I had to admit. Seeing her worked up was rather amusing. Claiming a kiss for the second time, I mumbled against her, "Then I suggest you hurry up. I'm practically _dripping_ over here waiting for you."

Sliding from her lap, I made my way back to the kitchen, grabbing another mixed drink because god knows it was only a matter of time before I started to feel it all at once. Returning upstairs, I traveled from room to room, finding each occupied before coming to one that was locked. I'm pretty sure it was Temari's room and while a nice quiet place to think would be ideal, it was obvious that this wouldn't be it.

Yet, when a hand curled around my waist and I felt myself being tugged inside, I knew that anytime to relax wouldn't be for a long time.

I was on my back in seconds, the zipper on the back of my dress being undone in less time. It took her no time at all to slam her lips against mine before sinking her fingers inside of me as deep as they could go. I didn't have it in me to resist the noises that wanted so desperately to escape.

"Sakura," I whimpered, "More."

"I'll give you as much as you need Ino...and then some," she breathed, lips descending down my body igniting flames wherever she touched. A desperate cry escaped me as she replaced her fingers with her tongue, bringing on a whole other type of pleasure that I'd never experienced.

Fingers laced in her hair, pulling tightly, as I felt my back arch quickly. "Look at me," she commanded. So I did, propping myself up on my elbows, watching as she slid her fingers back inside me.

Bliss seemed to last forever until that familiar blinding white light came cascading over me, forcing me scream her name, just as she had promised.

* * *

 _ **My head is absolutely killing me right now and I haven't the slightest clue why. Probably should call it a night after this. Anyways, hope you enjoyed. As always, read, review and Kat loves your faces much! 3**_


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